


Reading the Third Task at the end of Fourth

by CrimsonMoonDragon



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Kris Allen (Musician)
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Crossover, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-01-17 09:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1383046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimsonMoonDragon/pseuds/CrimsonMoonDragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because of one person Harry has to relive the Third Task all over again. This time he will have some friends to help him thru it. Read as he makes friends from enemies and enemies from friends.</p>
<p>Same as on FF.Net. Hope you like</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Books

**_"The end," said Dumbledore, looking around at them all, "of another year."_ **

****

**_He paused, and his eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table. Theirs had been the most subdued table before he had gotten to his feet, and theirs were still the saddest and palest faces in the Hall._ **

****

**_"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight," said Dumbledore, "but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here," he gestured toward the Hufflepuff, "enjoying our feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."_ **

****

**_They did it, all of them; the benches scraped as everyone in the Hall stood, and raised their goblets, and echoed, in one loud, low, rumbling voice, "Cedric Diggory."_ **

****

**_Harry caught a glimpse of Cho through the crowd. There were tears pouring silently down her face. He looked down at the table as they all sat down again._ **

****

**_"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff house," Dumbledore continued. "He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."_ **

****

**_Harry raised his head and stared at Dumbledore._ **

****

**_"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."_ **

****

**_A panicked whisper swept the Great Hall. People were staring at Dumbledore in disbelief, in horror. He looked perfectly calm as he watched them mutter themselves into silence._ **

****

**_"The Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so - either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory."_ **

****

**_Stunned and frightened, every face in the Hall was turned toward Dumbledore now...or almost every face. Over at the Slytherin table. Harry saw Draco Malfoy muttering something to Crabbe and Goyle. Harry felt a hot, sick swoop of anger in his stomach. He forced himself to look back at Dumbledore._ **

****

**_"There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death," Dumbledore went on. "I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."_ **

****

**_A kind of ripple crossed the Great Hall as a few heads turned in Harry's direction before flicking back to face Dumbledore._ **

****

**_"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honor him."_ **

“How do we know Potter did not just kill Cedric himself?” A Hufflepuff asked as he stood up and faced Dumbledore. The hall looked shocked that he would even say that, thou most of them was thinking the same thing.

“Mr. Smith, how dare you even think that Mr. Potter would kill Mr. Diggory.” Professor Sprout shouted at her student. Harry looked at him in shock and started shaking his head. He would never kill Cedric he thought of him as his brother.

“I’m just asking what everyone is thinking. I want proof that he did not kill Diggory. Not just his or your word. We all know Potter lies about everything, like he did in second year and about putting his name in the cup this year.” Smith shouted at his head of House.

“I would never lie about something like this. In second year, why would I want muggle-borns dead? Have you forgotten I’m a half-blood? My mother was a muggle-born, you ass. My best friend is a muggle born and I have two friends, one is a muggle the other a squib. So don’t even think I hate people by their blood.” Harry stood up and shouted at Smith. The Hall had never seen him like this and were a little surprised. Harry was shaking in rage at what that bastard had said.

“Then what about this year? How do we know you’re not going dark? I will only believe you when I have proof and nothing else.” Smith yelled back, looking smug.

“What do you want? My memories? Fine, take them. I don’t want to remember what happened that night anyways. I already have nightmares about it.” Harry told the whole Great Hall. Smith just smirked at him like he knew Harry was going to say that.

“No I want something more concrete. Memories can be altered; I want you to make a Blood-Book about what happened in the third task.” The purebloods in the hall all drew in a sharp intake of breath. The rest just looked confused.

“Mr. Smith, as much as I dislike Potter, I would never make him do a blood-book about what he has just been through. You and everyone that knows about them know they are illegal, and those who make one are sent to Azkaban for life.” Snape said standing up at the head table all the teachers there looked like they were going to be sick.

“No it’s not. My Father said if the Minister and unspeakable preform the spell, nothing will happen to the person the books belong to. It will only bring in People that are not here that they care about.” Smith said to Snape.

“Fine if that is what it will take for you to believe me then I will do the books. Professor Dumbledore, can you call the people who need to be here so I don’t get sent to Azkaban? And Smith, when you learn the truth I want an apology in front of the whole school and whoever is here.” Harry said as he looked at Dumbledore then Smith.

“Very well Harry, I will have them here tomorrow. Smith, for this little stunt of your you better be prepared to have detention all next year. You know how wrong this can go.” Dumbledore said looking very much his age. All Harry did was nod his head and walk out of the Great Hall. The three schools will be learning the truth tomorrow then after that they would be going home. He just had to put up with two more days of people staring at him.

 

*~*~*At Ministry*~*~*

 

Cornelius Fudge was sitting behind his desk looking through his paper work when there was a flash of light and a note from Dumbledore was sitting on his desk. Wanting to know what the man wanted now he picked it up.

_“Dear Cornelius,_

_Mr. Zacharias Smith had talked Mr. Harry Potter into making a Blood-Book about what has happened in the Third Task. He said that would be the only way to believe him and me. I ask that you, Madam Amilea Bones and two Unspeakables, come to Hogwarts tomorrow morning during breakfast so you can perform the spell needed. Mr. Potter said he would gladly give up his memories of what happened, but Mr. Smith said Blood-Book or he would not believe him. I know we are not on the best of terms, but please can you come and do this one thing for Mr. Potter? The whole school is turning against him._

_Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,_

_Albus Dumbledore”_

I looked in disbelieve. A student has made another agree to a Blood-Book. Not to mention the student is Harry potter. Cornelius sighed he got up and went to get the people he would need for the spell. Man, tomorrow was going to be a long and stressful day.

 

*~*~*Hogwarts: Next Morning*~*~*

 

When Harry got to breakfast the next morning, the hall was already full with students and teachers. At the head table was the Minister and a couple people he did not know. Ignoring everyone he walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat at the very end. He was half-way through is breakfast when the doors opened and in walked the whole Weasley family with Remus and Sirius in his dog form. Not wanting to talk to anyone yet he kept on eating, they just stared at him then sat down across from him. When the tables empty he got called up to the front of the hall.

“Mr. Potter, this is the head of the DMLE Madam Amilea Bones” Dumbledore pointed to a woman wearing a monocle in dark blue robes.

“Ma’am, you related to Susan Bones?” Harry asked looking at her.

“Yes Mr. Potter she is my niece. Why do you ask?”

“She is one of the ones that have believed me since Halloween, when my name came out” Harry told her. She smiled at him and gave him a nod and thanks.

“This is Unspeakable Josh Andrews. He will be performing the spell.” He pointed to one of the men in between Madam Bones and Fudge. All Harry did was nod his head to him.

“The last one is also an Unspeakable Neil Lambert.” Harry snapped his head to look at the last man that came today.

“Are you by chance the younger brother of Adam Lambert? And don’t you dare lie to me, I’m not in the mood right now.” Harry asked as the man in his seat moved a little.

“Yes, Adam is my older brother. How do you know him?” He asked looking back at Harry. Harry was glaring at him with hatred in his eyes. He walked over to him and punched him straight in the face, the hall gasped they never knew Harry would hit someone. Harry back away while shaking his hand. All Neil did was lower his head and refused to be healed.

“Yes I know him and he told me about what you did to him when you were kids. Madam Bones you keep him away from me or I might do something more awful than a broken nose. And I will not apologize; he deserves worse for what he did.” Harry hissed at the man that was holding his broken noise.

“Mr. Potter, why did you punch him? And what brother are you talking about?” She asked looking at the teen that held such rage at his age. He turned to look at her, his eyes softening a little.

“That is not for me to say. Just know he comes near me at all and he will be spending to next week in the hospital.” All she did was nod her head.

“Mr. Potter, may we please start now. All I will need is some of your blood to be put in this bowl and I will start the spell. It will take me about ten minutes alone since you do not want Lambert near you and I am guessing this too.” Harry nodded his head and handed over his left arm. Andrews pulled out a small gold dagger and grabbed his arm as he cut a slit in his wrist so blood could come out he explained on how the spell would work, and what would happen.

“Smith said that the spell will call people here if they’re not here right now. How will that work? I know two people that are not here; one is a squib and the other is a muggle. Will the spell bring them?” Harry asked as Andrews healed his arm and gave it back to him.

“It depends on who they are to you if their like your family they will be brought here. Now if they are good friend it depends on how much you care about them. If they come and one of them is a muggle the spell will allowed them to see the school. The Squib will be able to see it since they have a little bit of magic in them. You can stand here and wait for me to get done or you can go sit back down.” He said and started the spell. Harry watched for a few minutes then walked back over to his seat his hand still hurting. The Weasley family just stared at him like they have never seen him before.

“Harry, why would you do something like that? You go say you’re sorry right now and don’t you come back till you do.” Molly said. Her children were moving away from her; they knew that voice well. Harry turned and stared at her like she was stupid.

“No. He deserves to be killed for what he did.” Harry said coldly to her. She and everyone around him flinched at the tone.

“I don’t care what he did. You go say sorry right now or I will take you over my knee.” The Twins, Bill, Charlie and Arthur looked at her as she said this. Harry was not her son so she should not be saying that. Percy, Ron, Ginny and Hermione looked like they agreed with her.

“You are not my mother, so don’t you even think of telling me what to do. I will not say sorry to that man. If you ever tell me to do something again like you are my mother I will never talk to you or your family again. I have had more people tell me what to do in my life than you can count so leave me alone.” Harry said glaring at Mrs. Weasley and the others.

“Why you...” She started to say.

“Mom, leave Harry alone he is not your son.” Bill, Charlie and the Twines yelled at their mother.

“Molly they are right. Harry is not our son. So he does not have to listen to what you tell him to do. So leave him alone for now.” Mr. Weasley told his wife who glared at him and children that back talked her. Percy, Ron, Ginny and Hermione looked like they wanted to start something but a look from Mr. Weasley made them quiet.

Harry was starting to get agitated as they waited for the spell to be completed. He had just gotten up and started to walk to the head table when there was a flash of Gold and Silver light right between the house tables and head table. When it cleared two men were standing there looking lost, and both very different from the other.

The shorter man of the duo had short brown hair and warm brown eyes; he had on a light blue plaid silk shirt with black dress pants and shoes. On his hand was a gold wedding band and around his neck was a silver chain. In his arm was a bag that looked like it held clothes. The tall of the two was the complete opposite of his companion. He had black hair with bluish-gray eyes; he was wearing black leather pants with leather straps coming from his right side with black leather boots that stopped mid-calf and a silk black short sleeve shirt that opened to about half way down his chest with silver designs on the front, to match his silver chains around his neck. He had black leather fingerless gloves on his hand with his nails painted black. On his face was black eyeliner and eye shadow with silver body paint making designs around them.

“ADAM! KRIS!” Harry shouted and ran to the two men. They turned and saw him coming and grinned like loons.

“HARRY!” They cried and pulled him into a hug. Harry was laughing and crying at the same time.

“I missed you guys.” He said as they all pulled away. The one in black kept and arm around his shoulder.

“Us too, kiddo. We couldn’t wait to see you this summer. Now, you mind tell us where we are? Because one minute, we’re getting ready to change out of our stage clothes then next minute we are here.” The shorter one said.

“You gentlemen are in Hogwarts.” Dumbledore told them and all three turned aroud.

“Yup. We have to read about what happened in the third task because no one believes me.” Harry told them on a small voice. They both hugged Harry again.

“I’m sorry Harry. I know you don’t want to relive that again.” The tall one said again when they released him.

“True…now let me introduce you to the schools. The students in black with red trim is Gryffindor, black with yellow trim is Hufflepuff, black with blue trim is Ravenclaw, and black with green trim is Slytherin those are the Hogwarts school students. The students in red at the Slytherin table is Durmstrang Institute. And the students in light blue at the Ravenclaw table is Beauxbatons Academy.” They both waved to the schools.

“Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Beauxbatons. May I introduce Kris Allen the shorter one of the two and a muggle. And the taller one is Adam Lambert and a squib.” All they did was nod. Harry was rubbing his hand still and Adam noticed; he grabbed it in his and took a closer look at it.

“Harry, who did you punch? Your hand is bruised.” Adam asked looking him in the eye.

“I hit your brother in the face.” He said very quickly. They both looked at him.

“Harry, a little slower please.” Kris asked from next to Adam.

“I said I hit your brother in the face. He is sitting at the staff table. He’s the one with his head down.” Harry said to them both more slowly but carefully. Adam stiffened and turned to see his brother sitting with a black eye forming and a broken noise. Kris went rigid with rage; he walked right up to Neil and looked him in the face.

“You know Adam told me what happened, and I see Harry already got his revenge. But you would look much better like a panda.” Kris said in an icy voice and punched him on the other side of his face; the school heard a loud crack come from his face. He turned around with a big grin on his face also shaking his hand.

“I don’t think he will be speaking for a while…I think you broke his jaw.” Adam said with a little smile. Harry just started to laugh and hug Adam again. Madam Pomfrey walked over to the three of them and Harry already knowing what she would be doing gave her his hand, Kris saw and did the same thing. When they were both done Harry walked over to Dumbledore.

“Professor Dumbledore, can I take Adam and Kris up to the tower so they can shower and change please. They just got done finishing a concert.” Harry said as the school was still in shock as to what was happening.

“Yes you may Harry. Be back in an hour so we may start reading the book please.” He told them and got three nodded in return.

“So Kris, is your wife pregnant yet?” Harry asked as they started walking out the hall.

“No not yet.” Kris said.

“Hey Adam, did you know that one of my friends want to kidnap you so she can have your kids.” Harry said with a smirk.

“WHAT?” Adam screamed, and both Harry and Kris started laughing.

“Kidding…or was I?” he asked just as they walked out the door. Harry took off running with Kris right behind him.

“HARRY POTTER. YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT, GET BACK HERE!” Adam yelled as he chased after them.

“NEVER!” was all they heard before they went out of ear shot.

“Wow…who knew that Potter was friends with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen” a Ravenclaw sixth year asked the school. They turned to see Hermione and the Weasley children shaking their heads.

“I knew” was heard from the Slytherin table. There with is hand in the air was Draco Malfoy, the people around him were looking in disbelieve.

“How do you know, you little ferret?” Ron yelled across the hall.

“I heard him and Diggory talking about him a couple days after the Yule ball. Potter was telling him about the music in the Muggle world. Diggory asked if he had a favorite band. He said that he loved the music Adam Lambert played, then that might be because he knew Adam. Somehow Potter got a muggle device called an MP3 player to play here and he let Diggory hear some of it. They were talking about going to see his concert that would be playing towards the end of summer. I don’t think Potter killed Diggory they were acting like brothers whenever I saw them.” Draco told the hall; next to him Theodore Nott was nodding his head.

“It’s true. The way they acted to each other you would think they were brothers. Plus that Lambert guy can play some good music. A couple of Slytherin’s were by the lake when they came by and were listening to him. We asked if we could listen and he let us. Damn that man can sing. And Kris has great songs.” Theo told the shocked hall. Draco, Blaise Zabini and the Greengrass sisters were nodding their heads. Some of the others Slytherin have looks of hatred on their faces for like music done by a squib and muggle.

“Malfoy what is your favorite song that Adam does?” a Hufflepuff third year muggle-born asked.

“Um... Fever and Broken English. Why what’s your?” He asked back with a real smile in his face.

“If I had you.” She said also with a smile.

“That is mine two.” The Greengrass sisters said at the same time. Some people in the hall looked like they were going to pass out from shock.

“Professor Snape, can you make another table so we can talk together instead of yelling across the hall please?” Draco asked his Head of House. All Snape did was nod his head and wave his wand another table appeared right in front of the staff table. Draco and his friends got up and made there was over along with about half of the Muggle-borns and half-bloods in the hall. As soon as they were sitting they all started talking about what song they like the best and other music in the muggle world. Slowly some purebloods started coming over too.

“Headmaster I think next year we might have to bring back the music classes. Look at that table. All blood types from all four houses are together and not fighting.” said Professor Burbage.

“I think we might just have to do that. The only problem will be finding a teacher for that class. You can take it over. And I’ll find another Muggle Studies teacher. Would you like that?” Dumbledore asked her; she thought over it to a couple of minutes and nodded her head.

“Yes that would be good. I would have to talk to a couple students before they leave and see what they would like to learn.” She told him with a smile on his face. He nodded his head. The students in the hall started talking about what they would do this summer.

“Headmaster can you have someone go get Potter and his two friends? Their hour is almost up and we need to start reading.” Andrews told the head table.

“Mr. Weasley Twins would you two please go and get Harry and his two friends for us please. We need to start reading the book now.” Dumbledore stood and the hall went silent.

“Yes sir we will. Let’s go get are little brother my dear Forge.” Fred said standing with his twin.

“Right you are dear Gred. Be back soon your headship” George said linking his arm with his twin.

“Try and be back in fifteen minutes please. We have to start in twenty minuets or Mr. Potter will go into a magical sleep. And Mr. Smith will be the one in trouble since he started this whole thing.” Madam Bones told the hall. The twins took off out of the hall like the hounds of hell were after them.

“Why would it be my fault? Potter is the one taking so long.” Smith yelled up at the staff table. The five table looked at him in like was crazy.

“Everyone knows Harry will go do anything for the truth and you telling him the books were the only way, you know he would do it. Man, I just met him this summer and I know that much about him.” Bill told him. With Charlie was nodding his head.

“That Smith is the truth. I learned that our first year.” Nott told them.

“Mr. Smith if anything happens to Harry you will not been in good health.” Remus said for the first time. Sirius was next to him growling and showing his teeth. Everyone knew what he was talking about; the only reason that he was quiet because they found out he was a werewolf.

“You do anything to me and my dad will see to it that you are sent to Azkaban.” He smirked at the man, who was getting mad at him.

“Mr. Lupin will not be charged since he is the alpha of his pack and the Potters were part of his pack. Mr. Potter is the only cub; he can turn you into a werewolf and he will not get in trouble because you caused deadly harm to his only cub. You better hope Mr. Potter get through this reading safe and sound or you are in more trouble than you can think of. You also forgot who his godfather is.” Snape sneered at the teen likening how pale he had become.

“Who is his godfather? You?” He asked in a small scared voice.

“No not me. His godfather is the one and only Sirius Black.” Smith fainted when he heard this. And the people in the hall looked at Smith with small smiles. The doors opened and Fred and George came walking in with dazed looks on their faces.

“They should be here in a couple minutes. Man that Lambert is bloody hot.” They said to the hall and walked over to their older brothers who were laughing at the look on their faces. Peeves came zooming into the hall and straight to Dumbledore.

“Your Headship the painting would like you to cover one whole wall so they can be here for the reading please. They are already heading down now with Potter and his friends.” He asked polite for once. Dumbledore waved his wand and the wall behind the Gryffindor table became a giant painting of the view from the black lake to the school. Peeves nodded his head and shot back out the hall.

 

*~*~*With Harry, Adam and Kris when they leave the hall*~*~*

 

Harry and Kris were still running from Adam when they finally made it to the Portrait of the Fat Lady. Not even thirty seconds Adam came up to them.

“Do you know how hard it is to run in leather pants and heeled Boots Harry?” Adam asked when he caught his breath.

“No I don’t but we only have an hour for you guys to shower and change.” He turned back to the Fat Lady who was looking at him with a smile.

“Hi Harry, what are you doing up here when you should be in the Great hall?” She asked.

“Adam and Kris need to shower and change out of their clothes from the concert they just did in America. I kinda forgot the password, but may we please go in.” Harry told her and hoping she would let them.

“Yes you may since you are the only one who really sits and talk to me.” With that she opened and the three climbed in to the Gryffindor common room. Kris and Adam looked around in awe.

“Come on you two, you need to hurry. I don’t know what the books would do if we are gone for more than an hour.” Harry grabbed their hands and led them up into his dorm room. After showing them where the shower was they jumped in and started getting clean. Harry was the one to start them all singing. Soon enough that was all that could be heard in Gryffindor tower…three male voices singing in harmony. The Fat lady was just sitting their listening to them sing. She thought they sounded like angels. About thirty minutes after they came up the Weasley twins ran up to her and panted the password. As she opened the door the voice became louder.

“Looks like Harry is slowly getting back to his self if he can sing again.” George said as they ran up the stairs. When they pushed open the door the sight made the stop short. Harry stood clad in skin tight black jeans and a crimson silk shirt that tired at the top with navy designs on the front with black ankle boots; around his neck he had a gold chain with a lion pendent that had an emerald eye, his hair was styled and parted to the right so it covered his scar and part of his eye. Adam also had on skin tight black jeans and black ankle boots but his chest was bare for now since he was picking up his shirt that was also like Harrys but was emerald and had gold designs on the front with a gold chain that had a platinum lightning bolt, he had his hair parted to the left so it almost covered his eye. Kris was also wearing a silk shirt like the other two but his was blue and silver, his pants were dark blue skin tight jeans and black ankle boots. Around his neck was a silver chain with a gold musical note, his hair was spiked. All three stopped singing and looked at the twins when they came in.

“Fred, George is something wrong?” Harry asked them both.

“Yes, they told us you have to be in the hall in about fifteen minutes or you could go into a magical coma. Smith did not read up on what would happen if the person did not read the books right away.” They both said in sync. Harry paled and Adam pulled him to his chest.

“We will be there in time, just go let them know we are coming.” Kris said as Adam started singing again.

“Ok. By the way, we love the way you guys were singing.” With that the twins went back to the great hall. Adam calmed Harry down enough so they could start going. On the way out they said bye to the Fat Lady. About half way there they started singing again.

 

_So I got my boots on,_

_Got the right amount of leather_

_And I'm doing me up with a black colored liner_

_And I'm working my strut but I know it don't matter_

_All we need in this world is some love_

Peeve hears them and flew to the other Ghost to let them know Harry was singing again. The Fat Lady had followed them down.

_There's a thin line 'tween the dark side,_

_And the light side, baby tonight_

_It's a struggle, gotta rumble, tryin'a find it_

As they walked farther to the great hall they did not know that the ghost and Painting were following them _._

_[Chorus:]_

_But if I had you,_

_That would be the only thing I'd ever need_

_Yeah if I had you,_

_The money, fame and fortune never could compete_

_If I had you,_

_Life would be a party, it'd be ecstasy_

_Yeah, if I had you_

_Y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you_

_If I had you_

The Ghost started floating towards them Harry saw and waved to them. Adam pointed his finger at the halls to show Harry the painting was following them.

_From New York to LA getting high, rock and rolling_

_Get a room trash it up 'til it's ten in the morning_

_Girls in stripper heels, boys rolling in Maserati's_

_What they need in this world is some love_

_There's a thin line 'tween the wild time,_

_And a flat-line, baby tonight_

_It's a struggle gotta rumble, tryin'a find it_

Harry was happy that Adam and Kris were with him for the reading. He did not think he could handle it by himself. The Task and Graveyard was still fresh in his mind.

_[Chorus:]_

_But if I had you,_

_That would be the only thing I'd ever need_

_Yeah if I had you,_

_The money, fame and fortune never could compete_

_If I had you,_

_Life would be a party, it'd be ecstasy_

_Yeah, if I had you_

_Y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you_

_If I had-_

Adam had an arm around Harry’s waist and was not going to let him go no matter what happened during the reading.

_The flashing of the lights_

_It might feel so good_

_But I got you stuck on my mind, yeah_

_The fashion and the stage, it might get me high_

_But it don't mean a thing tonight_

Kris was looking at his best friend and the person he saw as a little brother. He was glad they could come and be here for him.

_That would be the only thing I'd ever need_

_Yeah if I had you,_

_The money, fame and fortune never could compete_

_If I had you,_

_Life would be a party it'd be ecstasy_

_Yeah if I had you_

_Y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you_

_If I had you_

Peeve was floating above the three singing and saw how they acted with each other. This is what Harry needed a family. He turned to the others that was listening and knew they thought the same as him.

_That would be the only thing I'd ever need_

_Yeah if I had you,_

_The money, fame and fortune never could compete_

_(Never could compete with you)_

_If I had you, life would be a party, it'd be ecstasy_

_(It'd be ecstasy with you)_

_Yeah if I had you_

_Y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you y-y-y-y-y-you_

_If I had you._

 

When they stopped singing they heard the ghost, Peeves and the paintings asking for more.

“We have time for one more song. We might be singing when we go into the hall.” Harry told them as they kept walking. The ghosts just keep floating behind them waiting for more of the music.

“How about Never Close Our Eyes.” Kris asked the other two and they nodded. Adam started them off.

 

_I wish that this night would never be over_

_There's plenty of time to sleep when we die_

_So let's just stay awake until we grow older_

_If I had my way we'd never close our eyes, our eyes, never!_

They were closer to the Great Hall now. Harry saw Peeves shot to the hall and when he looked at the wall he understood why the painting wanted to be there too or were just following their singing.

_I don't wanna let a minute get away_

_Cause we got no time to lose_

_None of us are promised to see tomorrow_

_And what we do is ours to choose_

Adam saw the entrance hall just down the hall and pulled Harry a little closer to him. Harry just looked up and smiled at him and walked closer.

_Forget about the sunrise_

_Fight the sleep in your eyes_

_I don't wanna miss a second with you_

_Let's stay this way forever_

_It's only getting better if we want it to_

_You know that I wish that this night would never be over_

_There's plenty of time to sleep when we die_

_So let's just stay awake until we grow older_

_If I had my way we'd never close our eyes, our eyes, never!_

Kris saw Peeves come back toward them and started waving the paintings to go to the hall and they all ran not wanting to miss how they would look as they walked into the hall. The students where in awe when the painting on the wall started fill up fast. When they listened close they could hear people singing.

_It's so hard to think this could fade away_

_But what goes up must come down_

_Why can't we just live life with no consequence_

_And always live in the now_

The ghost went ahead of them into the hall. The students saw every single ghost glide into the hall and floated next to the big painting. Kris grabbed hold of Harry’s hand as they walked down the last of the entrance hall stairs.

_Forget about the sunrise_

_Fight the sleep in your eyes_

_I don't wanna miss a second with you_

_Let's stay this way forever_

_It's only getting better if we want it to_

The people could hear the singing coming closer to them. As one they looked at the doors as Harry, Adam and Kris walked in. The ghost and painting saw the looks of disbelief on their faces. All three sang like angels.

_You know that I wish that this night would never be over_

_There's plenty of time to sleep when we die_

_So let's just stay awake until we grow older_

_If I had my way we'd never close our eyes, our eyes, never_

Harry smiled as the schools stared in shock as the three walked in the sight they must be with Adams arm around his waist and Kris holding his hand.

_Oooooooooooo, yeahhhhhh, ooooooooo, yeaaahhhhhh_

Adam walked them over to the head table, watching the students as he passed them. Kris also watching stopped singing and let Adam and Harry take the last verse together.

_You know that I wish that this night would never be over_

_There's plenty of time to sleep when we die_

_So let's just stay awake until we grow older_

_If I had my way we'd never close our eyes, our eyes, never_

 

The ghost and painting started clapping for the trio and soon the whole hall was clapping. Harry was blushing like crazy while Adam and Kris were laughing at him. Harry just pulled his hand from Kris and gave him a light punch in the stomach and elbowed Adam in the same place. They turned to look at him and he just smiled sweetly.

“Mr. Potter we need to start the books now, so nothing bad will happen to you.” Madam Bones said as she waved her wand a small couch that would fit all three of then appeared next to the table in front of the head table. Adam pulled them over to the couch and sat down with Harry pulled to his side and his head on his shoulder. Kris sat on the other side of Harry and gave his hand a squeeze. The hall was quiet as she picked up the book.

“The chapter starts right at the beginning of the task, are you guys ready?” She asked the hall. Most of them nodded a couple just looked unsure and Harry looked like he was going to pass out.

“Here we go. **Chapter 31 The Third Task** …"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I Had You - Adam Lambert  
> Never Close Our Eyes - Adam Lambert


	2. The Third Task

**"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!" Harry could just make out Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione applauding Fleur politely, halfway up the stands. He waved up at them, and they waved back, beaming at him.**   
  


Harry smiled at the Weasleys, the twins were always there when he needed them and Bill and Charlie were great to talk to.

**"So...on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three - two - one -" He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.**   
  


“So the task from hell starts” Kris said.

“Yes and it went to hell fast.” Harry said burying his head into Adams shoulder.

**The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze. Harry felt almost as though he were underwater again. He pulled out his wand, muttered, "Lumos," and heard Cedric do the same just behind him. After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other. "See you," Harry said, and he took the left one, while Cedric took the right.**   
  


“This is when it started to get worse.”

**Harry heard Bagman's whistle for the second time. Krum had entered the maze. Harry sped up. His chosen path seemed completely deserted. He turned right, and hurried on, holding his wand high over his head, trying to see as far ahead as possible. Still, there was nothing in sight. Bagman's whistle blew in the distance for the third time. All of the champions were now inside.**   
  


“And only three will make it out alive. I hate this stupid task.” Harry said loudly to the hall for everyone to hear. Viktor and Fleur nodding their heads.

**Harry kept looking behind him. The old feeling that he was being watched was upon him. The maze was growing darker with every passing minute as the sky overhead deepened to navy. He reached a second fork. "Point Me," he whispered to his wand, holding it flat in his palm. The wand spun around once and pointed toward his right, into solid hedge. That way was north, and he knew that he needed to go northwest for the center of the maze. The best he could do was to take the left fork and go right again as soon as possible.**   
  


“That is a good idea Harry.” Bill said.

“Ya it helps me when we need to find the baby dragons.” Charlie told them.

**The path ahead was empty too, and when Harry reached a right turn and took it, he again found his way unblocked. Harry didn't know why, but the lack of obstacles was unnerving him. Surely he should have met something by now? It felt as though the maze were luring him into a false sense of security. Then he heard movement right behind him. He held out his wand, ready to attack, but its beam fell only upon Cedric, who had just hurried out of a path on the right-hand side. Cedric looked severely shaken. The sleeve of his robe was smoking. "Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts!" he hissed. "They're enormous - I only just got away!"**   
  


“Those things suck” was heard from the Slytherin table.

**He shook his head and dived out of sight, along another path. Keen to put plenty of distance between himself and the skrewts, Harry hurried off again. Then, as he turned a corner, he saw...a dementor gliding toward him. Twelve feet tall, its face hidden by its hood, its rotting, scabbed hands outstretched, it advanced, sensing its way blindly toward him. Harry could hear its rattling breath; he felt clammy coldness stealing over him, but knew what he had to do....**   
  


“What is that thing doing there?” Remus shouted.

“There was no Dementor in the maze Remus.” Dumbledore said to him.

“But then… never mind.” He said as he finally realized what it was.

**He summoned the happiest thought he could, concentrated with all his might on the thought of getting out of the maze and celebrating with Ron and Hermione, raised his wand, and cried, "Expecto Patronum!"**   
  


“I also thought of the time when you guys took me to your concert.” Harry told Adam and Kris.

“Ya that was a fun night.” They both said together.

**A silver stag erupted from the end of Harry's wand and galloped toward the dementor, which fell back and tripped over the hem of its robes....Harry had never seen a dementor stumble. "Hang on!" he shouted, advancing in the wake of his silver Patronus, "You're a boggart! Riddikulus!"**   
  


“Your boggart is a Dementor?” Smith asked with a little laugh in his voice.

“No my Boggart is fear. As Lupin told me in my third year my greatest fear is fear.” That shut the hall up as they took in his words.

**There was a loud crack, and the shape-shifter exploded in a wisp of smoke. The silver stag faded from sight. Harry wished it could have stayed, he could have used some company...but he moved on, quickly and quietly as possible, listening hard, his wand held high once more. Left...right...left again...Twice he found himself facing dead ends. He did the Four-Point Spell again and found that he was going too far east. He turned back, took a right turn, and saw an odd golden mist floating ahead of him.**   
  


“I hate that thing”

**Harry approached it cautiously, pointing the wand's beam at it. This looked like some kind of enchantment. He wondered whether he might be able to blast it out of the way. "Reducio!" he said. The spell shot straight through the mist, leaving it intact. He supposed he should have known better; the Reductor Curse was for solid objects. What would happen if he walked through the mist? Was it worth chancing it, or should he double back? He was still hesitating when a scream shattered the silence. "Fleur?" Harry yelled. There was silence. He stared all around him. What had happened to her? Her scream seemed to have come from somewhere ahead. He took a deep breath and ran through the enchanted mist.**   
  


“You ran into something unknown for someone you barely knew?” Madam Bones asked.

“Yes ma’am I did the same thing in my first three years here. So why not. I might have to do it for the rest of my years here.” Harry turned to look at her.

“That Mr. Potter is very brave.” She said.

“If you want to know I can tell you after the reading.” She nodded.

**The world turned upside down. Harry was hanging from the ground, with his hair on end, his glasses dangling off his nose, threatening to fall into the bottomless sky. He clutched them to the end of his nose and hung there, terrified. It felt as though his feet were glued to the grass, which had now become the ceiling. Below him the dark, star-spangled heavens stretched endlessly. He felt as though if he tried to move one of his feet, he would fall away from the earth completely. Think, he told himself, as all the blood rushed to his head, think...**   
  


“Not a nice feeling to have” half the hall was nodding their heads.

**But not one of the spells he had practiced had been designed to combat a sudden reversal of ground and sky. Did he dare move his foot? He could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He had two choices - try and move, or send up red sparks, and get rescued and disqualified from the task. He shut his eyes, so he wouldn't be able to see the view of endless space below him, and pulled his right foot as hard as he could away from the grassy ceiling.**   
  


“That was a little hard to do”

**Immediately, the world righted itself. Harry fell forward onto his knees onto the wonderfully solid ground. He felt temporarily limp with shock. He took a deep, steadying breath, then got up again and hurried forward, looking back over his shoulder as he ran away from the golden mist, which twinkled innocently at him in the moonlight.**   
  


“Again I hate that spell.”

**He paused at a junction of two paths and looked around for some sign of Fleur. He was sure it had been she who had screamed. What had she met? Was she all right? There was no sign of red sparks - did that mean she had got herself out of trouble, or was she in such trouble that she couldn't reach her wand? Harry took the right fork with a feeling of increasing unease...but at the same time, he couldn't help thinking. One champion down...**   
  


“Harry, that’s not nice.” Mrs. Weasley scolded him.

“Well sorry for hoping to get out of that maze with my life. Next time why don’t you try and we can see what you think.” Harry glared at her.

“Harry don’t say that to my mom.” Ron yelled at him

“Yea well she needs to learn that, I was fighting for my life in there so yea my thoughts are going to be like that.” Harry yelled right back.

**The cup was somewhere close by, and it sounded as though Fleur was no longer in the running. He'd got this far, hadn't he? What if he actually managed to win? Fleetingly, and for the first time since he'd found himself champion, he saw again that image of himself, raising the Triwizard Cup in front of the rest of the school....**   
  


“You really thought you were not going to win Potter?” Nott asked.

“Yea the whole time I was competing against people three years older than me and against my wishes.”

**He met nothing for ten minutes, but kept running into dead ends. Twice he took the same wrong turning. Finally, he found a new route and started to jog along it, his wandlight waving, making his shadow flicker and distort on the hedge walls. Then he rounded another corner and found himself facing a Blast-Ended Skrewt.**   
  


“Bloody things”

**Cedric was right - it was enormous. Ten feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick armor glinted in the light from Harry's wand, which he pointed at it. "Stupefy!"**   
  


“Not going to work”

**The spell hit the skrewt's armor and rebounded; Harry ducked just in time, but could smell burning hair; it had singed the top of his head. The skrewt issued a blast of fire from its end and flew forward toward him. "Impedimenta!" Harry yelled. The spell hit the skrewt's armor again and ricocheted off; Harry staggered back a few paces and fell over. "IMPEDIMENTA!"**   
  


“That will. Because it has more power.”

**The skrewt was inches from him when it froze - he had managed to hit it on its fleshy, shell-less underside. Panting, Harry pushed himself away from it and ran, hard, in the opposite direction - the Impediment Curse was not permanent; the skrewt would be regaining the use of its legs at any moment. He took a left path and hit a dead end, a right, and hit another; forcing himself to stop, heart hammering, he performed the Four-Point Spell again, backtracked, and chose a path that would take him northwest. He had been hurrying along the new path for a few minutes, when he heard something in the path running parallel to his own that made him stop dead. "What are you doing?" yelled Cedric's voice. "What the hell d'you think you're doing?"**   
  


Krum paled when he heard this.

**And then Harry heard Krum's voice.**   
  


“Madam Bones, he was under the Imperius Curse. He could not fight it.” Harry said to her as he looked at Krum across the hall.

“Thanks you for telling me Mr. Potter.”

**"Crucio!"**   
  


Harry started shaking like mad. He remembered the pain since it was still fresh in his mind the hall looked at him. Adam pulled Harry into his lap and just hugged him tightly.

“Mr. Potter?” Unspeakable Andrews asked.

“I will be fine.” He told them in a small voice, his head under Adams chin.

**The air was suddenly full of Cedric's yells. Horrified, Harry began sprinting up his path, trying to find a way into Cedric's. When none appeared, he tried the Reductor Curse again. It wasn't very effective, but it burned a small hole in the hedge through which Harry forced his leg, kicking at the thick brambles and branches until they broke and made an opening; he struggled through it, tearing his robes, and looking to his right, saw Cedric jerking and twitching on the ground, Krum standing over him. Harry pulled himself up and pointed his wand at Krum just as Krum looked up. Krum turned and began to run. "Stupefy!" Harry yelled.**   
  


“Thanks for that Potter.” Krum said. Harry just waved him off.

**The spell hit Krum in the back; he stopped dead in his tracks, fell forward, and lay motionless, facedown in the grass. Harry-dashed over to Cedric, who had stopped twitching and was lying there panting, his hands over his face.**   
  


“Did I look like that?” Harry mumbled too low for anyone to hear.

**"Are you all right?" Harry said roughly, grabbing Cedric's arm. "Yeah," panted Cedric. "Yeah...I don't believe it...he crept up behind me....I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me...." Cedric got up. He was still shaking. He and Harry looked down at Krum.**   
  


“I did not find out till later he had the curse on him” Harry said looking a little pale.

**"I can't believe this...I thought he was all right," Harry said, staring at Krum. "So did I," said Cedric. "Did you hear Fleur scream earlier?" said Harry. "Yeah," said Cedric. "You don't think Krum got her too?" "I don't know," said Harry slowly. "Should we leave him here?" Cedric muttered. "No," said Harry. "I reckon we should send up red sparks. Someone'll come and collect him...otherwise he'll probably be eaten by a skrewt." "He'd deserve it," Cedric muttered, but all the same, he raised his wand and shot a shower of red sparks into the air, which hovered high above Krum, marking the spot where he lay.**   
  


“For what I did to him, I would have deserved it.” Krum said.

**Harry and Cedric stood there in the darkness for a moment, looking around them. Then Cedric said, "Well...I s'pose we'd better go on...." "What?" said Harry. "Oh...yeah...right..." It was an odd moment. He and Cedric had been briefly united against Krum - now the fact that they were opponents came back to Harry. The two of them proceeded up the dark path without speaking, then Harry turned left, and Cedric right. Cedric's footsteps soon died away.**   
  


Harry shook a little more at that.

**Harry moved on, continuing to use the Four-Point Spell, making sure he was moving in the right direction. It was between him and Cedric now. His desire to reach the cup first was now burning stronger than ever, but he could hardly believe what he'd just seen Krum do. The use of an Unforgivable Curse on a fellow human being meant a life term in Azkaban, that was what Moody had told them. Krum surely couldn't have wanted the Triwizard Cup that badly....Harry sped up.**   
  


“No I did not. I would die before I use one of them again.” He told the people who turned to look at him.

**Every so often he hit more dead ends, but the increasing darkness made him feel sure he was getting near the heart of the maze. Then, as he strode down a long, straight path, he saw movement once again, and his beam of wandlight hit an extraordinary creature, one which he had only seen in picture form, in his Monster Book of Monsters.**   
  


“Is it something bad Harry?” Kris asked taking his hand again.

“No it’s not bad Kris.” Harry told him with a small smile.

**It was a sphinx. It had the body of an over-large lion: great clawed paws and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Its head, however, was that of a woman. She turned her long, almond-shaped eyes upon Harry as he approached. He raised his wand, hesitating. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voice. "You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me." "So...so will you move, please?" said Harry, knowing what the answer was going to be. "No," she said, continuing to pace. "Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess - I let you pass. Answer wrongly - I attack. Remain silent - I will let you walk away from me unscathed."**   
  


“Like you could know the riddle” Smith sneered; they all ignored him

**Harry's stomach slipped several notches. It was Hermione who was good at this sort of thing, not him. He weighed his chances. If the riddle was too hard, he could keep silent, get away from the sphinx unharmed, and try and find an alternative route to the center. "Okay," he said. "Can I hear the riddle?"**   
  


“He won’t be able to get past her.” Hermione whispered to Ron and Ginny with a smile that they both shared. Fred and George who heard her look at the three of them in shock. They doubted their friend. The twins shared a look; they would talk with Bill and Charlie when they have a chance.

**The sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recited:** _"First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end? And finally give me the sound often heard During the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together, and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"_   
  


“Hermione, do you know the answer?” Ginny asked.

“No. So Harry will not know what it is either.” She said with a smile.

“I would not like to kiss a spider.” Ron paled at the thought.

This time a couple more people heard them talking and just stared at them. Harry will be devastated that his friends did not even believe him.

**Harry gaped at her. "Could I have it again...more slowly?" he asked tentatively. She blinked at him, smiled, and repeated the poem. "All the clues add up to a creature I wouldn't want to kiss?" Harry asked. She merely smiled her mysterious smile. Harry took that for a "yes." Harry cast his mind around. There were plenty of animals he wouldn't want to kiss; his immediate thought was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, but something told him that wasn't the answer. He'd have to try and work out the clues....**   
  


“Just talk it out. Remember before you left for this school year?” Adam whispered in his ear. Harry shuddered.

“Ya I was thinking about that.” He whispered back, turning his head so he could smile at him.

**"A person in disguise," Harry muttered, staring at her, "who lies...er...that'd be a - an impostor. No, that's not my guess! A - a spy? I'll come back to that...could you give me the next clue again, please?" She repeated the next lines of the poem. "'The last thing to mend,'" Harry repeated. "Er...no idea...'middle of middle'...could I have the last bit again?" She gave him the last four lines. "'The sound often heard during the search for a hard-to-find word,'" said Harry. "Er...that'd be...er...hang on - 'er'! Er's a sound!"**   
  


“You are almost there.” Kris said.

**The sphinx smiled at him. "Spy...er...spy...er..." said Harry, pacing up and down. "A creature I wouldn't want to kiss...a spider!"**   
  


“I would rather kiss a snake than a spider.” Adam joked to the hall. There were a few people that laugh, Harry being one of them. With he was aiming for.

“We should give Tommy Joe that riddle and see how long he will take to solve it.” Harry said with a smile.

“That is a good idea. We can get it after the book is done.” Kris said as the other two laughed.

**The sphinx smiled more broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved aside for him to pass. "Thanks!" said Harry, and, amazed at his own brilliance, he dashed forward.**   
  


“Only you would thank a creature for not killing you.” Draco said with a smile and shaking his head.

“That’s just Harry.” The Twins said.

**He had to be close now, he had to be....His wand was telling him he was bang on course; as long as he didn't meet anything too horrible, he might have a chance.... Harry broke into a run. He had a choice of paths up ahead. "Point Me!" he whispered again to his wand, and it spun around and pointed him to the right-hand one. He dashed up this one and saw light ahead.**   
  


“Now, it all goes to hell, on a silver platter.” Harry said quietly but the whole hall heard him. They turned to see him with his head buried in Adams chest and shaking a little. The smile he had on a minute ago is gone.

“Harry, it’s ok. You’re not there right now.” Kris said rubbing his back. Adam just shook his head and pulled Harry closer to him.

**The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of him. Cedric was going to get there first. Cedric was sprinting as fast as he could toward the cup, and Harry knew he would never catch up, Cedric was much taller, had much longer legs - Then Harry saw something immense over a hedge to his left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own; it was moving so fast Cedric was about to run into it, and Cedric, his eyes on the cup, had not seen it - "Cedric!" Harry bellowed. "On your left!"**   
  


“Even at the risk of losing you will help anyone in need.” Dumbledore said with a small smile.

“It would not have been far. I saw it, and he didn’t.” Harry told him.

**Cedric looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but in his haste, he tripped. Harry saw Cedric's wand fly out of his hand as a gigantic spider stepped into the path and began to bear down upon Cedric.**   
  


“A giant what?” The hall screamed.

“Spider or more like an Acromantula. There is a colony in the forest.” Harry said looking up.

“How did you get a colony of Acromantulas?” Madam Bones asked.

“That I am not saying and if everyone knows what is good for them they will not ask again or say if they do know.” Harry glared at Ron and Hermione who he saw was opening their mouths to tell on Hagrid.

**"Stupefy!" Harry yelled; the spell hit the spider's gigantic, hairy black body, but for all the good it did, he might as well have thrown a stone at it; the spider jerked, scuttled around, and ran at Harry instead. "Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!" But it was no use - the spider was either so large, or so magical, that the spells were doing no more than aggravating it. Harry had one horrifying glimpse of eight shining black eyes and razor-sharp pincers before it was upon him.**   
  


“That would not be a pretty sight.” Charlie said.

**He was lifted into the air in its front legs; struggling madly, he tried to kick it; his leg connected with the pincers and next moment he was in excruciating pain. He could hear Cedric yelling "Stupefy!" too, but his spell had no more effect than Harry's - Harry raised his wand as the spider opened its pincers once more and shouted "Expelliarmus!"**   
  


“That is your favorite spell. I mean you use it a lot in the mock duel in the tower.” George started to say

“And you still beat some of us sixth and seventh years.” Fred finished. They saw Harry was blushing like crazy. The rest of the hall was in shock.

“There can not be duels in the tower. It is against the rules.” Hermione said.

“Plus Harry would have told us.” Ron added.

“Yes there is and McGonagall knows about them. And I don’t have to tell you two anything about what I do.” Harry looked at them like they were crazy.

“The only reason that Mr. Potter is allowed to duel the older students is because he asked if there was other ways to learn more spells, and showed me he would be able to handle it.” McGonagall told the rest of her house. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were looking at Harry with hatred in their eyes.

**It worked - the Disarming Spell made the spider drop him, but that meant that Harry fell twelve feet onto his already injured leg, which crumpled beneath him. Without pausing to think, he aimed high at the spider's underbelly, as he had done with the skrewt, and shouted "Stupefy!''Just as Cedric yelled the same thing.**   
  


“That will work, two spells are better than one.” Susan Bones said.

“Yes it is. I hope this is over soon.” Hannah Abbott told her friend.

**The two spells combined did what one alone had not: The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nearby hedge, and strewing the path with a tangle of hairy legs. "Harry!" he heard Cedric shouting. "You all right? Did it fall on you?" "No," Harry called back, panting. He looked down at his leg. It was bleeding freely. He could see some sort of thick, gluey secretion from the spider's pincers on his torn robes. He tried to get up, but his leg was shaking badly and did not want to support his weight. He leaned against the hedge, gasping for breath, and looked around.**   
  


“That is really bad.” Kris said looking a little green.

“Harry, was that why your leg had a wrap around it?” Adam asked the teen.

“Yes, Madam Pomfrey was going to check and see how it was healing yesterday before this all started.” Harry told him. All he got was a nod in return. Kris grabbed his legs and put them in his lap so he lean more on Adam and try and relax.

**Cedric was standing feet from the Triwizard Cup, which was gleaming behind him. "Take it, then," Harry panted to Cedric. "Go on, take it. You're there."**   
  


“He should have won. Not me.”

**But Cedric didn't move. He merely stood there, looking at Harry. Then he turned to stare at the cup. Harry saw the longing expression on his face in its golden light. Cedric looked around at Harry again, who was now holding onto the hedge to support himself. Cedric took a deep breath. "You take it. You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here." "That's not how it's supposed to work," Harry said. He felt angry; his leg was very painful, he was aching all over from trying to throw off the spider, and after all his efforts, Cedric had beaten him to it, just as he'd beaten Harry to ask Cho to the ball. "The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. That's you. I'm telling you, I'm not going to win any races on this leg."**   
  


“Why did you want to ask her to the ball?” A blond Ravenclaw asked Harry from where she was sitting at the fifth table.

“I don’t know really. I don’t even like Cho like that, ya she is pretty but she was dating Cedric and I thought of him as a brother. So Cho became like a sister in my mind.” Harry said looking confused.

“Harry, did you think about her like that before this year?” Dumbledore asked sitting higher in his seat looking at him.

“No, last year I thought of her as a good seeker nothing else. I mean I’m gay so why would I think that.” Harry looked at the hall in confusion, no one really cared that he was gay by the looks of it most thought that someone dosed him with love potions.

“Harry, I think someone gave you a love potion directed at me. And for the record I think of you like a brother too, so did Cedric.” Cho told the teen on the couch.

“That is right Miss. Chang. Harry, after this book let Madam Pomfrey check you over please and Mr. Lambert and Mr. Allen can go with you.” Dumbledore said.

**Cedric took a few paces nearer to the Stunned spider, away from the cup, shaking his head. "No," he said. "Stop being noble," said Harry irritably. "Just take it, then we can get out of here."**   
  


The twins snorted at that. People looked at them all they did was shake their heads.

**Cedric watched Harry steadying himself, holding tight to the hedge. "You told me about the dragons," Cedric said. "I would've gone down in the first task if you hadn't told me what was coming." "I had help on that too," Harry snapped, trying to mop up his bloody leg with his robes. "You helped me with the egg - we're square." "I had help on the egg in the first place," said Cedric. "We're still square," said Harry, testing his leg gingerly; it shook violently as he put weight on it; he had sprained his ankle when the spider had dropped him.**   
  


“Mr. Potter what do you mean you guys had help?” Madam Bones asked

“The Imposter” was all he said.

**"You should've got more points on the second task," said Cedric mulishly. "You stayed behind to get all the hostages. I should've done that." "I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously!" said Harry bitterly. "Just take the cup!"**   
  


“No Harry, I thought I would lose my sister if you had not saved her.” Fleur spoke up for the first time.

**"No," said Cedric. He stepped over the spider's tangled legs to join Harry, who stared at him. Cedric was serious. He was walking away from the sort of glory Hufflepuff House hadn't had in centuries.**   
  


“Harry, we don’t need that glory.” Susan and Hannah said together. Most of their house agreed with them, but a couple people Smith one of them.

**"Go on," Cedric said. He looked as though this was costing him every ounce of resolution he had, but his face was set, his arms were folded, he seemed decided.**   
  


“Damn it I should have taken the cup.” Harry yelled shocking the hall. They turned and saw he was trying not to cry.

“So you could have all the glory to yourself. I knew you would do anything to win.” Smith sneered at the teen. Hannah and Susan both slapped him on the back of his head and walked over to the fifth table and sat down closer to Harry.

“No, if I did Cedric would still be alive.” Harry said in a dead voice, scaring more than one person.

**Harry looked from Cedric to the cup. For one shining moment, he saw himself emerging from the maze, holding it. He saw himself holding the Triwizard Cup aloft, heard the roar of the crowd, saw Cho's face shining with admiration, more clearly than he had ever seen it before...and then the picture faded, and he found himself staring at Cedric's shadowy, stubborn face.**   
  


Harry whimpered. Adam made him put his head on his shoulder and started rubbing his back.

**"Both of us," Harry said. "What?" "We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it." Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms. "You - you sure?" "Yeah," said Harry. "Yeah...we've helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together."**   
  


“If only it was not a trap.”

**For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn't believe his ears; then his face split in a grin. "You're on," he said. "Come here." He grabbed Harry's arm below the shoulder and helped Harry limp toward the plinth where the cup stood. When they had reached it, they both held a hand out over one of the cup's gleaming handles. "On three, right?" said Harry. "One - two - three -" He and Cedric both grasped a handle.**   
  


Harry started to let tears leave his eyes which Adam brushed away.

**Instantly, Harry felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel. His feet had left the ground. He could not unclench the hand holding the Triwizard Cup; it was pulling him onward in a howl of wind and swirling color, Cedric at his side.**

 

Harry knew what was coming, he buried his face in Adam’s neck and just let the tears fall. The hall looked at him then Smith and planned to get him back for making Harry relive this.

“Madam Bones, I think I should read the next chapter.” Unspeakable Lambert said.

“You touch that book and I will kill you Neil.” Adam yelled at his little brother. The glare Neil was getting was enough he put his head back down.

“I will.” Andrews said and grabbed the book.

“Ok here we go, Oh merlin not that… **Chapter 32 Flesh, Blood, and Bone**.”


	3. Flesh, Blood, and Bone

**Harry felt his feet slam into the ground; his injured leg gave way, and he fell forward; his hand let go of the Triwizard Cup at last. He raised his head.**

**"Where are we?" he said.**

“Somewhere you do not want to be.” Harry answered his own question.

 

**Cedric shook his head. He got up, pulled Harry to his feet, and they looked around.**

 

**They had left the Hogwarts grounds completely; they had obviously traveled miles - perhaps hundreds of miles - for even the mountains surrounding the castle were gone. They were standing instead in a dark and overgrown graveyard; the black outline of a small church was visible beyond a large yew tree to their right. A hill rose above them to their left. Harry could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside.**

“I hate Graveyards now.” Harry put out into the hall.

“I would too Harry, I would too.” Fred and George said together.

 

**Cedric looked down at the Triwizard Cup and then up at Harry.**

**"Did anyone tell you the cup was a Portkey?" he asked.**

“It was not to be one” Dumbledore gravely said.

 

**"Nope," said Harry. He was looking around the graveyard. It was completely silent and slightly eerie. "Is this supposed to be part of the task?"**

**"I dunno," said Cedric. He sounded slightly nervous. "Wands out, d'you reckon?"**

**"Yeah," said Harry, glad that Cedric had made the suggestion rather than him.**

“We should have just grabbed the cup and left”

 

**They pulled out their wands. Harry kept looking around him. He had, yet again, the strange feeling that they were being watched.**

“If you feel like that, then you’re being watched.” Remus said from his spot at the Gryffindor table. He kept looking over at Harry, and did not like how he was shaking.

 

**"Someone's coming," he said suddenly.**

**Squinting tensely through the darkness, they watched the figure drawing nearer, walking steadily toward them between the graves. Harry couldn't make out a face, but from the way it was walking and holding its arms, he could tell that it was carrying something. Whoever it was, he was short, and wearing a hooded cloak pulled up over his head to obscure his face. And - several paces nearer, the gap between them closing all the time - Harry saw that the thing in the persons arms looked like a baby...or was it merely a bundle of robes?**

“Much worse than a bundle of robes.” Harry looked like a ghost.

 

**Harry lowered his wand slightly and glanced sideways at Cedric. Cedric shot him a quizzical look. They both turned back to watch the approaching figure.**

**It stopped beside a towering marble headstone, only six feet from them. For a second. Harry and Cedric and the short figure simply looked at one another.**

 

“Harry, are ok?” Adam asked the teen in his arms.

“No. Can we just finish this quickly please?” Harry asked of the people in the hall.

“We will try Mr. Potter” Madam Bones said, while she looked at the rest of the hall.

 

**And then, without warning, Harry's scar exploded with pain. It was agony such as he had never felt in all his life; his wand slipped from his fingers as he put his hands over his face; his knees buckled; he was on the ground and he could see nothing at all; his head was about to split open.**

Harry whimpered as he remembers the pain from just the other day.

 

**From far away, above his head, he heard a high, cold voice say, "Kill the spare."**

**A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to the night: "Avada Kedavra!"**

“NO” was screamed threw out the hall.

 

**A blast of green light blazed through Harry's eyelids, and he heard something heavy fall to the ground beside him; the pain in his scar reached such a pitch that he retched, and then it diminished; terrified of what he was about to see, he opened his stinging eyes.**

**Cedric was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside him. He was dead.**

Cho started crying again, along with most of the girls in the hall. The guys were trying to calm them down. Harry was just reliving it again. Adam started humming under his breath, trying to calm Harry a little bit. Kris was trying not to think of what Harry had to go through all by himself. The twins, Bill and Charlie got up and walked over to the three on the couch. Bill conjured another for him and his brothers to sit on.

“Mr. Smith, after this book you will apologize to Mr. Potter, and never jump to conclusions again.” Dumbledore’s voice was like a bomb going off in the hall.

 

**For a second that contained an eternity, Harry stared into Cedric's face, at his open gray eyes, blank and expressionless as the windows of a deserted house, at his half-open mouth, which looked slightly surprised. And then, before Harry's mind had accepted what he was seeing, before he could feel anything but numb disbelief, he felt himself being pulled to his feet.**

**The short man in the cloak had put down his bundle, lit his wand, and was dragging Harry toward the marble headstone. Harry saw the name upon it flickering in the wand light before he was forced around and slammed against it.**

**TOM RIDDLE**

**The cloaked man was now conjuring tight cords around Harry, tying him from neck to ankles to the headstone. Harry could hear shallow, fast breathing from the depths of the hood; he struggled, and the man hit him - hit him with a hand that had a finger missing. And Harry realized who was under the hood. It was Wormtail.**

“I should have killed him when I had the chance.” Remus snarled. His eyes were gold and he knew he was scaring those that knew him. Sirius was baring his teeth in agreement.

 

**"You!" he gasped.**

“Yes that traitor of a rat.”

 

**But Wormtail, who had finished conjuring the ropes, did not reply; he was busy checking the tightness of the cords, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, fumbling over the knots. Once sure that Harry was bound so tightly to the headstone that he couldn't move an inch, Wormtail drew a length of some black material from the inside of his cloak and stuffed it roughly into Harry's mouth; then, without a word, he turned from Harry and hurried away. Harry couldn't make a sound, nor could he see where Wormtail had gone; he couldn't turn his head to see beyond the headstone; he could see only what was right in front of him.**

**Cedric's body was lying some twenty feet away. Some way beyond him, glinting in the starlight, lay the Triwizard Cup. Harry's wand was on the ground at Cedric's feet. The bundle of robes that Harry had thought was a baby was close by, at the foot of the grave. It seemed to be stirring fretfully. Harry watched it, and his scar seared with pain again...and he suddenly knew that he didn't want to see what was in those robes...he didn't want that bundle opened....**

“No, you don’t want to see what that thing was.” Harry muttered, looking at the far wall.

 

**He could hear noises at his feet. He looked down and saw a gigantic snake slithering through the grass, circling the headstone where he was tied. Wormtail's fast, wheezy breathing was growing louder again. It sounded as though he was forcing something heavy across the ground. Then he came back within Harry's range of vision, and Harry saw him pushing a stone cauldron to the foot of the grave. It was full of what seemed to be water - Harry could hear it slopping around - and it was larger than any cauldron Harry had ever used; a great stone belly large enough for a full-grown man to sit in.**

“That is the point. So it can fit a full-grown monster of a man.” Harry said louder, so everyone could hear.

 

**The thing inside the bundle of robes on the ground was stirring more persistently, as though it was trying to free itself. Now Wormtail was busying himself at the bottom of the cauldron with a wand. Suddenly there were crackling names beneath it. The large snake slithered away into the darkness.**

**The liquid in the cauldron seemed to heat very fast. The surface began not only to bubble, but to send out fiery sparks, as though it were on fire. Steam was thickening, blurring the outline of Wormtail tending the fire. The movements beneath the robes became more agitated. And Harry heard the high, cold voice again.**

**"Hurry!"**

**The whole surface of the water was alight with sparks now. It might have been encrusted with diamonds.**

**"It is ready. Master."**

**"Now..." said the cold voice.**

 

**Wormtail pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them, and Harry let out a yell that was strangled in the wad of material blocking his mouth.**

“Can we try and get through the rest of the chapter soon? Please, I already have to relive it in my dreams at night.” Harry asked Andrews who nodded and started reading again.

 

**It was as though Wormtail had flipped over a stone and revealed something ugly, slimy, and blind - but worse, a hundred times worse. The thing Wormtail had been carrying had the shape of a crouched human child, except that Harry had never seen anything less like a child. It was hairless and scaly-looking, a dark, raw, reddish black. Its arms and legs were thin and feeble, and its face - no child alive ever had a face like that - flat and snakelike, with gleaming red eyes.**

“Voldemort” was said and the hall flinched.

 

**The thing seemed almost helpless; it raised its thin arms, put them around Wormtail's neck, and Wormtail lifted it. As he did so, his hood fell back, and Harry saw the look of revulsion on Wormtail's weak, pale face in the firelight as he carried the creature to the rim of the cauldron. For one moment, Harry saw the evil, flat face illuminated in the sparks dancing on the surface of the potion. And then Wormtail lowered the creature into the cauldron; there was a hiss, and it vanished below the surface; Harry heard its frail body hit the bottom with a soft thud.**

**Let it drown, Harry thought, his scar burning almost past endurance, please...let it drown....**

Adam rubbed Harry’s scar and heard him sigh at the feeling. He leaned down and gave it a kiss then rubbed it more, Harry melting into him.

 

**Wormtail was speaking. His voice shook; he seemed frightened beyond his wits. He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.**

**"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"**

**The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked. Horrified, Harry watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue.**

**And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak. His voice broke into petrified sobs.**

**"Flesh - of the servant - w-willingly given - you will - revive - your master."**

**He stretched his right hand out in front of him - the hand with the missing finger. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and swung it upward.**

“That is gross” Kris muttered. Harry, who was relaxed, stiffened for what was to come.

 

**Harry realized what Wormtail was about to do a second before it happened - he closed his eyes as tightly as he could, but he could not block the scream that pierced the night, that went through Harry as though he had been stabbed with the dagger too. He heard something fall to the ground, heard Wormtail's anguished panting, then a sickening splash, as something was dropped into the cauldron. Harry couldn't stand to look...but the potion had turned a burning red; the light of it shone through Harry's closed eyelids....**

**Wormtail was gasping and moaning with agony. Not until Harry felt Wormtail's anguished breath on his face did he realize that Wormtail was right in front of him.**

**"B-blood of the enemy...forcibly taken...you will...resurrect your foe."**

A sharp intake of breath when through the hall.

 

**Harry could do nothing to prevent it, he was tied too tightly....Squinting down, struggling hopelessly at the ropes binding him, he saw the shining silver dagger shaking in Wormtail's remaining hand. He felt its point penetrate the crook of his right arm and blood seeping down the sleeve of his torn robes. Wormtail, still panting with pain, rumbled in his pocket for a glass vial and held it to Harry's cut, so that a dribble of blood fell into it.**

“No.” Adam whispered as he grabbed Harry’s arm and saw the wound described in the book. Harry did nothing, just looked ahead of him. Not really there anymore.

 

**He staggered back to the cauldron with Harry's blood. He poured it inside. The liquid within turned, instantly, a blinding white. Wormtail, his job done, dropped to his knees beside the cauldron, then slumped sideways and lay on the ground, cradling the bleeding stump of his arm, gasping and sobbing.**

**The cauldron was simmering, sending its diamond sparks in all directions, so blindingly bright that it turned all else to velvety blackness. Nothing happened....**

**Let it have drowned. Harry thought, let it have gone wrong...**

“I’m afraid that he made the potion right Mr. Potter.” Snape told the Harry and the hall. Still no response came back. Adam was starting to get worried…Harry was just sitting there his eyes dull.

 

**And then, suddenly, the sparks emanating from the cauldron were extinguished. A surge of white steam billowed thickly from the cauldron instead, obliterating everything in front of Harry, so that he couldn't see Wormtail or Cedric or anything but vapor hanging in the air....It's gone wrong, he thought...it's drowned ...please...please let it be dead....**

**But then, through the mist in front of him, he saw, with an icy surge of terror, the dark outline of a man, tall and skeletally thin, rising slowly from inside the cauldron.**

**"Robe me," said the high, cold voice from behind the steam, and Wormtail, sobbing and moaning, still cradling his mutilated arm, scrambled to pick up the black robes from the ground, got to his feet, reached up, and pulled them one-handed over his master's head.**

 

No, it can’t be. Everyone thought at the same time.

 

**The thin man stepped out of the cauldron, staring at Harry...and Harry stared back into the face that had haunted his nightmares for three years. Whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snakes with slits for nostrils...**

**Lord Voldemort had risen again.**

 

The hall was quiet, then the terror started. The younger years started crying, while the older tried to calm them down. The teachers were just sitting there thinking about the last time he was in power. Fudge was realizing that Harry and Dumbledore was right, he really was back. Madam Bones was thinking of all the re-training the Aurors would have to go through. Draco, Blaise and Theo were hoping they could get help so they did not have to join that monster. While all this was going on, Adam was trying to get Harry’s attention, but it was not working. It looked like he was in a daze but nothing would get to him.

“Harry. Harry!” Adam screamed into the hall.


	4. Waking Harry

Adam was shaking Harry and was not getting a response. Kris was sitting there not knowing what to do. Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie were passing in front of the couch. The people at the fifth table looked scared for Adam and Harry.

"Can someone get the school nurse or someone who can help me?" Adam shouted to the hall. Draco was running to get his godfather since all the teachers were in shock. The hall was watching in silence.

"What happened?" Snape asked when he and Draco made it back over to them.

"I don’t know, he was fine till just at the end of the chapter he just stopped moving and he won’t answer me." Adam told Snape, is voice showing how worried and scared he was.

"He might be reliving what happened to him, I can’t be sure." Adam was told.

"Is there a way to make it stop? I don’t care what you have to do to find out, just do it please." Adam told Snape. He got a nod in return. Madam had walked over to them at that time.

“Professor Snape. If you are going to use Legilimency you will not get in trouble. Just get in find the problem and get out." Bones told the two men

"Adam I need you to get behind him and hold him close. Do Not Let Go." Severus told him. Adam nodded his head and pulled Harrys back to his chest and held him tight. Severus turned Harrys face to his and looked into his eyes.

" _Legilimens_ "

 

*~*~* Harrys mind*~*~*

 

Harry was just watching the events in the graveyard over and over again. He did not know that Adam was scared out of his mind and right that minute Snape was trying to find him in his own mind. Severus did not know how long he was looking till he found what he needed. There right in front of him was Harry watching the events from the book. He watches as Cedric was killed, Voldemort coming back and he even saw what they had yet to read. Harry being tortured his duel and the wand connecting. He had pulled out as it all started over again.

Harry not knowing about this did nothing, but watches what happened in the graveyard again.

 

*~*~*In the Hall*~*~*

 

Snape came out of Harry’s mind and felt like being sick. He fished in his robes for a potion to help and fell on the floor not even knowing or caring how he must look. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Fudge and Madam Pomfrey came down to them.

"He keeps seeing the third task and the grave yard over and over. Adam you need to try and get to him. Headmaster, you can fire me for what I’m about to do but I would not care." With that he got up and walked to the Hufflepuff table, grabbed Smith by his robes and punched him in the nose.

"Next year all your detentions will be with me and if Potter gets any detentions, you will be the one serving it. Do you understand me?" He snarled at the boy in his grip.

"Yes sir." Smith got out as he held his broken nose.

“Severus is that really necessary? For him to have his and Mr. Potter’s detentions?" Sprout asked as the man throws Smith onto the floor. None of his house-mates helped him off the floor; they all knew he deserved it.

"For what he is making Potter relive, he better be lucky he is not expelled." He told her and walked back over to Harry. Adam still could not get to Harry, as Snape looked at him he remembered a look he saw on his face once at the start on the new term. He walked up to Kris.

"Kris did you or Adam, get hurt at the start of the New Year?"

"Yea, me and Adam were in accident. I got a broken leg and bruised. Adam went into a coma because he had broken and cracked ribs, a broken arm and bruises." Kris turned to look at him.

"Did you send a letter to Harry about what happened?"

"Yes and to Adams family. Why what does that have to do with this?" Kris looked back at the pair. Adam was trying not to cry. Draco was handing him something.

"I had to send Harry out of my class after he read that note he was devastated. Diggory took him for a walk to calm him down. I don’t know what he did but it worked, because at dinner he was fine." The two walked over to the group.

"Cedric made Harry listen to Adams music." Draco said when he heard them. He looked back at the pair. Adam had put in Harrys ear buds to see if the music would work.

"How do you know this?" Severus asked looking at godson in wonder.

"The day you sent Harry out of class was the day Harry told us about knowing Adam and Kris. Remember I told you guys about that before the reading started." Draco looked back and saw that the music was not really working.

"Yes. It was when you guys were changing clothes. That is why there is a fifth table of kids from all houses." Severus told Kris who looked confused. He nodded then all three walked over to Adam. He had tears in his eyes trying not to cry.

"It’s not working. Why is it not working?" He looked at them. Severus and Draco shook their heads.

"Adam, why don’t you sing one of your songs? He might wake up if he hears your voice in person." Kris told him.

"I would but I’m too worried and scared to remember the one I was going to sing." He said truthfully. Kris looked at the MP3 by Harry’s head and grabbed it.

"What song were you going to sing?" He asked in a hurry, he knew they need to get Harry back soon or Adam would lose it.

"Aftermath" he watched as Kris looked for the song then grabbed the ear bud from Harrys left ear and put it in Adams. Adam saw what he was doing and moved so he was leaning over Harry face to face. Adam closed his eyes and listened to the intro, when he heard the right cord his mouth and eyes opened.

 

 

_Have you lost your way?_

_Livin' in the shadow of the messes that you made,_

_And so it goes,_

_Everything inside your circle starts to overflow._

The school heard Adam sing before but not like this, he was pouring his emotions into this one song just to get Harry back. Kris looked at them and hoped that it would work, Adam need Harry more than he knew.

 

_Take a step before you leap,_

_Into the colors that you seek,_

_You'll get back what you give away,_

_So don't look back on yesterday!_

Adam remembered when he and Harry met. They were at the park by his house when they bumped into each other. Harry was running from his cousin and Adam had his headphones in listening to this song.

 

_Wanna scream out,_

_No more hiding,_

_Don't be afraid of what's inside!_

_Gonna tell ya, you'll be alright,_

_In the Aftermath!_

_Anytime anybody pulls you down,_

_Anytime anybody says you're not allowed,_

_Just remember you are not alone,_

_In the Aftermath!_

Harry heard the music in his mind and tried to get out of the memories. He knew Adam was there, he just could not get to him. Harry started moving around on the bed they transfigured from the couch. Adam, having to sit on him so he did not fall off and leaning over Harry, he grabbed his face so he could look into his eyes.

 

_You feel the weight,_

_Of lies and contradictions that you live with every day,_

_It's not too late,_

_Think of what could be if you rewrite the role you play._

_Take a step before you leap,_

_Into the colors that you seek,_

_You give back what you give away,_

_So don't look back on yesterday!_

Harry was almost out of his own mind. He heard the words Adam was singing and fought to get to him. He could hear the worried tone and that scared him.

 

_Wanna scream out,_

_No more hiding,_

_Don't be afraid of what's inside!_

_Gonna tell ya, you'll be alright,_

_In the Aftermath!_

_Anytime anybody pulls you down,_

_Anytime anybody says you're not allowed,_

_Just remember you are not alone,_

_In the Aftermath!_

_In the Aftermath!_

Adam was looking into Harry’s eyes when they started blinking, Adam started crying. Harry looked at Adam and smiled; he reached up and wiped the tears from his face. Kris and everyone around the bed started smiling and hugging each other. The school knew that Harry was back.

 

_Before you break you have to shed your armour!_

_Take a trip and fall into the glitter!_

_Tell a stranger that they're beautiful!_

_So all you feel is love, love!_

_All you feel is love, love!_

_Wanna scream out,_

_No more hiding,_

_Don't be afraid of what's inside._

_Wanna tell ya, you'll be alright,_

_In the Aftermath!_

Harry sat up and gave Adam a hug with he happily returned still singing. When they released Harry joined him for the last two verses, just sitting on the bed singing.

 

_Wanna scream out,_

_No more hiding,_

_Don't be afraid of what's inside!_

_Gonna tell ya, you'll be alright,_

_In the Aftermath!_

_Anytime anybody pulls you down,_

_Anytime anybody says you're not allowed,_

_Just remember you are not alone,_

_In the Aftermath!_

_In the Aftermath!_

_(Gonna tell ya you'll be alright!)_

_In the Aftermath!_

_In the Aftermath!_

_(Just remember you are not alone!)_

_In the Aftermath!_

 

 

When the song was complete the school broke into cheers, Draco came over and hugged Harry, he was also crying. He was soon joined by Theo, Blaise, Fred and George. Adam did not leave his side so he got pulled into the big dog pile. They were all laughing and crying the teachers were just smiling at them all.

“Good to have you back with us Mr. Potter” Snape told him with a smile on his face, the rest of them agreed also with smiles.

“Thanks. It’s good to be back, or will be when they get off me and try not to squish me to death.” Harry laughs as everyone but Adam jumped off the bed. Kris walked over and pulled them both into a hug.

“Harry, don’t ever do that again. You scared us half to death.” Kris pulled away from them with a sad smile on his face. “You don’t know how much you two need each other.” Adam just pulled Harry to his side. He was not letting go anytime soon.

“Harry. Cub, are you going to be ok?” Remus asked walking up with Sirius next to him.

“Moony. Padfoot. I will be as soon as this is over. Then I can introduce you to Adam and Kris properly, and my other friends.” He told them leaning into Adam he was getting tired form the books.

“We will love that cub. Why don’t you laydown for the rest of the book.” Remus said giving him a quick hug and conjuring an armchair to sit beside the bed. Padfoot had other ideas he jumped onto the bed after Harry was comfy with his head in Adams lap. Sirius laid down right in front of him and put his head right next to Harrys. Adam gave a soft chuckle and padded hid head before going back to raking his fingers thru Harrys.

“Harry, after this can you help me, Draco and Blaise get away from our family’s please.” Theo asked as the other two were right behind him.

“Why do you need to get away from your families?” Adam asked.

“Our parents are Death Eaters and if we stay they will make us join him. Please Harry I don’t want to become like my father.” Draco said to the group, which was still around the bed.

“I will try. But Draco you cannot complain if I do. None of you three can.” Harry told him. They nodded.

“We promise Potter we won’t.” Blaise said for the first time.

“Ok go sit with the twins and their brothers for right now.” They did as they were told. The school was getting settled down to finish the reading.

“After this chapter we will eat lunch.” Dumbledore said as Snape grabbed the book.

“Ok here we go… **Chapter 33 The Death Eaters”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath - Adam Lambert


	5. The Death Eaters

**Voldemort looked away from Harry and began examining his own body. His hands were like large, pale spiders; his long white fingers caressed his own chest, his arms, his face; the red eyes, whose pupils were slits, like a cats, gleamed still more brightly through the darkness. He held up his hands and flexed the fingers, his expression rapt and exultant. He took not the slightest notice of Wormtail, who lay twitching and bleeding on the ground, nor of the great snake, which had slithered back into sight and was circling Harry again, hissing. Voldemort slipped one of those unnaturally long-fingered hands into a deep pocket and drew out a wand. He caressed it gently too; and then he raised it, and pointed it at Wormtail, who was lifted off the ground and thrown against the headstone where Harry was tied; he fell to the foot of it and lay there, crumpled up and crying. Voldemort turned his scarlet eyes upon Harry, laughing a high, cold, mirthless laugh.**

 

“That laugh has been in my nightmares since I turned eleven, and Hagrid told me what happened.” Harry told the hall.

“Mr. Potter, do you remember what happened that night?” Madam Bones asked.

“Yea, when I was small all I remembered was a flash of green light…then as I got older I remembered more. Last year I heard my mom and dad’s last moments.” He told her.

 

**Wormtail's robes were shining with blood now; he had wrapped the stump of his arm in them.**

**"My Lord..." he choked, "my Lord...you promised...you did promise..."**

**"Hold out your arm," said Voldemort lazily.**

**"Oh Master...thank you, Master..."**

**He extended the bleeding stump, but Voldemort laughed again.**

**"The other arm, Wormtail."**

**"Master, please...please..."**

**Voldemort bent down and pulled out Wormtail's left arm; he forced the sleeve of Wormtail's robes up past his elbow, and Harry saw something upon the skin there, something like a vivid red tattoo - a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth - the image that had appeared in the sky at the Quidditch World Cup: the Dark Mark. Voldemort examined it carefully, ignoring Wormtail's uncontrollable weeping.**

 

“He does not care about his followers.” Harry said.

“You are right Harry and he never will.” Dumbledore told them all.

 

**"It is back," he said softly, "they will all have noticed it...and now, we shall see...now we shall know..."**

**He pressed his long white forefinger to the brand on Wormtail's arm.**

 

**The scar on Harry's forehead seared with a sharp pain again, and Wormtail let out a fresh howl; Voldemort removed his fingers from Wormtail's mark, and Harry saw that it had turned jet black.**

“He is calling them” Snape said looking around the hall at all the students and hoping none of them will make the same mistake as him.

 

**A look of cruel satisfaction on his face, Voldemort straightened up, threw back his head, and stared around at the dark graveyard.**

**"How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?" he whispered, his gleaming red eyes fixed upon the stars. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"**

**He began to pace up and down before Harry and Wormtail, eyes sweeping the graveyard all the while. After a minute or so, he looked down at Harry again, a cruel smile twisting his snakelike face.**

**"You stand, Harry Potter, upon the remains of my late father," he hissed softly. "A Muggle and a fool...very like your dear mother. But they both had their uses, did they not? Your mother died to defend you as a child...and I killed my father, and see how useful he has proved himself, in death...."**

 

“So he is a Half-blood and he killed his own father?” Kris asked Harry.

“Yea his full name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. Later he named himself Lord Voldemort.” Harry replayed.

 

**Voldemort laughed again. Up and down he paced, looking all around him as he walked, and the snake continued to circle in the grass.**

**"You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother, a witch who lived here in this village, fell in love with him. But he abandoned her when she told him what she was....He didn't like magic, my father...**

**"He left her and returned to his Muggle parents before I was even born. Potter, and she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage...but I vowed to find him...I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name...Tom Riddle...."**

**Still he paced, his red eyes darting from grave to grave.**

**"Listen to me, reliving family history..." he said quietly, "why, I am growing quite sentimental....But look, Harry! My true family returns...."**

 

“They’re not family…”

 

**The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, behind the yew tree, in every shadowy space, wizards were Apparating. All of them were hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forward...slowly, cautiously, as though they could hardly believe their eyes Voldemort stood in silence, waiting for them. Then one of the Death Eaters fell to his knees, crawled toward Voldemort and kissed the hem of his black robes.**

**"Master...Master..." he murmured.**

 

“Kiss up” the Twins said; a couple people chuckled.

 

**The Death Eaters behind him did the same; each of them approaching Voldemort on his knees and kissing his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming a silent circle, which enclosed Tom Riddle's grave, Harry, Voldemort, and the sobbing and twitching heap that was Wormtail. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as though waiting for more people. Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect more. He looked around at the hooded faces, and though there was no wind rustling seemed to run around the circle, as though it had shivered.**

**"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years...thirteen years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?"**

**He put back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit-like nostrils widening.**

**"I smell guilt," he said. "There is a stench or guilt upon the air.**

 

**A second shiver ran around the circle, as though each member of it longed, but did not dare to step back from him.**

**"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt appearances! and I ask myself...why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"**

**No one spoke. No one moved except Wormtail, who was upon the ground, still sobbing over his bleeding arm.**

 

“The rat deserves it.” Remus snarled.

 

**"And I answer myself," whispered Voldemort, "they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment ....**

**"And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living?**

**"And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort...perhaps they now pay allegiance to another...perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"**

**At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them.**

**"It is a disappointment to me...I confess myself disappointed...."**

**One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.**

 

“That is a stupid thing to do.” Snape told the hall.

“How do you know that?” Kris asked the Potions Master.

“I was once one of them.” Snape told him.

 

**"Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"**

**Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand.**

 

“That is never good”

 

**"Crucio!"**

 

Harry started shaking again. Adam laid down on the bed and pulled Harry to his chest, and rubbed his back.

 

**The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked; Harry was sure the sound must carry to the houses around....Let the police come, he thought desperately...anyone...anything...**

**Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.**

**"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years...I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already, have you not, Wormtail?"**

**He looked down at Wormtail, who continued to sob.**

**"You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You deserve this pain, Wormtail. You know that, don't you?"**

**"Yes, Master," moaned Wormtail, "please. Master...please..."**

 

“Coward…”

 

**"Yet you helped return me to my body," said Voldemort coolly, watching Wormtail sob on the ground. "Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me...and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers...."**

**Voldemort raised his wand again and whirled it through the air. A streak of what looked like molten silver hung shining in the wand's wake. Momentarily shapeless, it writhed and then formed itself into a gleaming replica of a human hand, bright as moonlight, which soared downward and fixed itself upon Wormtail's bleeding wrist.**

**Wormtail's sobbing stopped abruptly. His breathing harsh and ragged, he raised his head and stared in disbelief at the silver hand, now attached seamlessly to his arm, as though he were wearing a dazzling glove. He flexed the shining fingers, then, trembling, picked up a small twig on the ground and crushed it into powder.**

**"My Lord," he whispered. "Master...it is beautiful...thank you...thank you...."**

**He scrambled forward on his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.**

**"May your loyalty never waver again, Wormtail," said Voldemort.**

 

“That hand is cured. If he ever tries to repay the life debt he owes Mr. Potter it will kill him.” Dumbledore said looking at the bed that Harry was on. He had stopped shaking and was pulled to Adams chest so it was hard to see were one ended and the other began. Sirius was lying with his head on Harry’s side.

 

**"No, my Lord...never, my Lord..."**

**Wormtail stood up and took his place in the circle, staring at his powerful new hand, his face still shining with tears. Voldemort now approached the man on Wormtail's right.**

**"Lucius, my slippery friend," he whispered, halting before him. "I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius....Your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup were fun, I daresay...but might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master?"**

 

“What!? He said he was under the Imperius Curse.” Fudge stood up and shouted to the hall. Everyone jumped.

“My father has always been a Death Eater, he will never change.” Draco said to Fudge.

“He and others bribed their way out of Azkaban.” Dumbledore told them all.

 

**"My Lord, I was constantly on the alert," came Lucius Malfoy's voice swiftly from beneath the hood. "Had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately, nothing could have prevented me -"**

**"And yet you ran from my Mark, when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky last summer?" said Voldemort lazily, and Mr. Malfoy stopped talking abruptly. "Yes, I know all about that, Lucius....You have disappointed me....I expect more faithful service in the future."**

**"Of course, my Lord, of course....You are merciful, thank you...."**

**Voldemort moved on, and stopped, staring at the space - large enough for two people - that separated Malfoy and the next man.**

**"The Lestranges should stand here," said Voldemort quietly. "But they are entombed in Azkaban. They were faithful. They went to Azkaban rather than renounce me....When Azkaban is broken open, the Lestranges will be honored beyond their dreams. The dementors will join us...they are our natural allies...we will recall the banished giants...I shall have all my devoted servants returned to me, and an army of creatures whom all fear...."**

 

“You were right; we will make sure this does not happen.” Fudge looked at Dumbledore as he said this.

“Yes we will.”

 

**He walked on. Some of the Death Eaters he passed in silence, but he paused before others and spoke to them.**

**"Macnair...destroying dangerous beasts for the Ministry of Magic now, Wormtail tells me? You shall have better victims than that soon, Macnair. Lord Voldemort will provide...."**

**"Thank you, Master...thank you," murmured Macnair.**

 

“Bastard!!”

“HAGRID” the teachers and students shouted never hearing his curse.

“What? He was going to kill Buckbeak.” Was all he said.

 

**"And here" - Voldemort moved on to the two largest hooded figures - "we have Crabbe...you will do better this time, will you not, Crabbe? And you, Goyle?"**

People looked at their sons. As one the students around them moved, they saw the grins on their faces.

 

**They bowed clumsily, muttering dully.**

**"Yes, Master..."**

**"We will, Master...."**

**"The same goes for you, Nott," said Voldemort quietly as he walked past a stooped figure in Mr. Goyles shadow.**

 

“I hate that man; wish he was not my father.” Theo said out loud. Blaise and Draco gave his shoulders a squeeze.

 

**"My Lord, I prostrate myself before you, I am your most faithful -"**

**"That will do," said Voldemort.**

**He had reached the largest gap of all, and he stood surveying it with his blank, red eyes, as though he could see people standing there.**

**"And here we have six missing Death Eaters...three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return...he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever...he will be killed, of course...and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service."**

 

**The Death Eaters stirred, and Harry saw their eyes dart sideways at one another through their masks.**

**"He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our young friend arrived here tonight....**

 

Growls were heard throughout the hall. They turned and saw the dog that was laying with Harry standing on the bed and Remus with golden eyes.

“Moony, Padfoot calm down, he is already gone.” Harry told them. They both stopped, Remus eyes stayed golden and he moved so he was sitting on the end of the bed. Sirius just sat down so he was guarding them.

 

**"Yes," said Voldemort, a grin curling his lipless mouth as the eyes of the circle flashed in Harry's direction. "Harry Potter has kindly joined us for my rebirthing party. One might go so far as to call him my guest of honor."**

 

“Yea right.” Adam hissed, Harry smiled a little and buried his head under his chin.

 

**There was a silence. Then the Death Eater to the right of Wormtail stepped forward, and Lucius Malfoy's voice spoke from under the mask.**

**"Master, we crave to know...we beg you to tell us...how you have achieved this...this miracle...how you managed to return to us...."**

“It is not a miracle.” people shouted.

 

**"Ah, what a story it is, Lucius," said Voldemort. "And it begins - and ends - with my young friend here."**

 

“Wish it didn’t.” Harry mumbled into Adams chest.

“I know, Harry.” Adam started running his finger through Harry s hair.

 

**He walked lazily over to stand next to Harry, so that the eyes of the whole circle were upon the two of them. The snake continued to circle.**

**"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes upon Harry, whose scar began to burn so fiercely that he almost screamed in agony. "You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him - and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen....I could not touch the boy."**

**Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's cheek.**

**"His mother left upon him the traces other sacrifice....This is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it...but no matter. I can touch him now."**

**Harry felt the cold tip of the long white finger touch him, and thought his head would burst with the pain. Voldemort laughed softly in his ear, then took the finger away and continued addressing the Death Eaters.**

 

“That is not good.”

“It is both good and bad.” Dumbledore said, shocking the hall.

“What do you mean Albus?” Snape asked looking like he was going to curse him for even saying that.

“If what I know is right then Mr. Potter will be able to see what he has planned and we might be able to save people. The bad thing is that Voldemort can look into his mind.” He said looking very grave. Snape looked at Harry and knew that he was right.

“Harry is that what happened in class?” Neville asked.

“Yea Neville it is.” Snape started reading so no one could ask him anymore questions.

 

**"I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah...pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost...but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know...I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked...for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself...for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand....**

**"I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist....I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited....Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me...one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body..., but I waited in vain...."**

“Wish he was still waiting” The twins said.

“So do we, guys…so do we.” Bill said as they looked over at Harry.

 

**The shiver ran once more around the circle of listening Death Eaters. Voldemort let the silence spiral horribly before continuing.**

**"Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew that the Aurors were still abroad and searching for me.**

**I sometimes inhabited animals - snakes, of course, being my preference - but I was little better off inside them than as pure spirit, for their bodies were ill adapted to perform magic...and my possession of them shortened their lives; none of them lasted long....**

**"Then...four years ago...the means for my return seemed assured. A wizard - young, foolish, and gullible - wandered across my path in the forest I had made my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of...for he was a teacher at Dumbledore's school...he was easy to bend to my will...he brought me back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise him closely as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. I was not to be assured immortal life. I was thwarted...thwarted, once again, by Harry Potter...."**

 

“That is because he is the best.” The Twins yelled. The hall chuckled.

 

**Silence once more; nothing was stirring, not even the leaves on the yew tree. The Death Eaters were quite motionless, the glittering eyes in their masks fixed upon Voldemort, and upon Harry.**

**"The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as ever I had been," Voldemort continued. "I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not pretend to you that I didn't then fear that I might never regain my powers....Yes, that was perhaps my darkest hour...I could not hope that I would be sent another wizard to possess...and I had given up hope, now, that any of my Death Eaters cared what had become of me...."**

**One or two of the masked wizards in the circle moved uncomfortably, but Voldemort took no notice.**

**"And then, not even a year ago, when I had almost abandoned hope, it happened at last...a servant returned to me. Wormtail here, who had faked his own death to escape justice, was driven out of hiding by those he had once counted friends, and decided to return to his master. He sought me in the country where it had long been rumored I was hiding...helped, of course, by the rats he met along the way. Wormtail has a curious affinity with rats, do you not, Wormtail? His filthy little friends told him there was a place, deep in an Albanian forest, that they avoided, where small animals like themselves had met their deaths by a dark shadow that possessed them....**

**"But his journey back to me was not smooth, was it, Wormtail? For, hungry one night, on the edge of the very forest where he had hoped to find me, he foolishly stopped at an inn for some food...and who should he meet there, but one Bertha Jorkins, a witch from the Ministry of Magic.**

 

“She did not make it.” Harry told Madam Bones.

“How do you know this Mr. Potter?” She asked.

“It will be in this chapter or the next.” She nodded at him.

 

**"Now see the way that fate favors Lord Voldemort. This might have been the end of Wormtail, and of my last hope for regeneration. But Wormtail - displaying a presence of mind I would never have expected from him - convinced Bertha Jorkins to accompany him on a nighttime stroll. He overpowered her...he brought her to me. And Bertha Jorkins, who might have ruined all, proved instead to be a gift beyond my wildest dreams...for - with a little persuasion - she became a veritable mine of information.**

**"She told me that the Triwizard Tournament would be played at Hogwarts this year. She told me that she knew of a faithful Death Eater who would be only too willing to help me, if I could only contact him. She told me many things...but the means I used to break the Memory Charm upon her were powerful, and when I had extracted all useful information from her, her mind and body were both damaged beyond repair. She had now served her purpose. I could not possess her. I disposed of her."**

 

The hall was silent for a minute as they found out what happened to one of their own. The Ministry workers all raised their wands and light them for their fallen colleague.

 

**Voldemort smiled his terrible smile, his red eyes blank and pitiless.**

**"Wormtail's body, of course, was ill adapted for possession, as all assumed him dead, and would attract far too much attention if noticed. However, he was the able-bodied servant I needed, and, poor wizard though he is, Wormtail was able to follow the instructions I gave him, which would return me to a rudimentary, weak body of my own, a body I would be able to inhabit while awaiting the essential ingredients for true rebirth...a spell or two of my own invention...a little help from my dear Nagini," Voldemort's red eyes fell upon the continually circling snake, "a potion concocted from unicorn blood, and the snake venom Nagini provided...I was soon returned to an almost human form, and strong enough to travel.**

 

“That is gross” Lavender and Parvite said together.

 

**"There was no hope of stealing the Sorcerer's Stone anymore, for I knew that Dumbledore would have seen to it that it was destroyed. But I was willing to embrace mortal life again, before chasing immortality. I set my sights lower...I would settle for my old body back again, and my old strength.**

**"I knew that to achieve this - it is an old piece of Dark Magic, the potion that revived me tonight - I would need three powerful ingredients. Well, one of them was already at hand, was it not, Wormtail? Flesh given by a servant....**

**"My father's bone, naturally, meant that we would have to come here, where he was buried. But the blood of a foe...Wormtail would have had me use any wizard, would you not, Wormtail? Any wizard who had hated me...as so many of them still do. But I knew the one I must use, if I was to rise again, more powerful than I had been when I had fallen. I wanted Harry Potters blood. I wanted the blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago...for the lingering protection his mother once gave him would then reside in my veins too....**

 

“Wait that means the protections around your house is not any good.” The twins said at the same time.

“No, they are still good as long as he calls that place home he will be safe.” Dumbledore told the hall.

“Sir he has not called that place home since he started here.” Neville said to the head table. The teachers all paled a little at that.

“We will talk after the book.” Harry said to everyone.

 

**"But how to get at Harry Potter? For he has been better protected than I think even he knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago, when it fell to him to arrange the boy's future. Dumbledore invoked an ancient magic, to ensure the boy's protection as long as he is in his relations' care. Not even I can touch him there....Then, of course, there was the Quidditch World Cup....I thought his protection might be weaker there, away from his relations and Dumbledore, but I was not yet strong enough to attempt kidnap in the midst of a horde of Ministry wizards. And then, the boy would return to Hogwarts, where he is under the crooked nose of that Muggle-loving fool from morning until night. So how could I take him?**

**"Why...by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course. Use my one faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure that the boy's name was entered into the Goblet of Fire. Use my Death Eater to ensure that the boy won the tournament - that he touched the Triwizard Cup first - the cup which my Death Eater had turned into a Portkey, which would bring him here, beyond the reach of Dumbledore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms. And here he is...the boy you all believed had been my downfall...."**

 

“He will be you melodramatic snake.” Draco, Theo and Blaise said as one. That got chuckles from the hall.

 

**Voldemort moved slowly forward and turned to face Harry. He raised his wand.**

 

“Dear merlin not that spell.” Snape said as he read the next word and palled.

“Severus, what’s the matter.” McGonagall asked as she looks at him. All he did was shake his head and read the next word in the silent hall.

 

**"Crucio!"**

 

“NO” was screamed though out the hall. The older kids were holding and trying to calm the younger ones down, but it was not working very well. The teachers and Ministry workers were trying not to cry and only a couple managed. Theo, Blaise and Draco started to shake and cry. The Twins, Bill and Charlie saw and pulled them up on the couch with them. Fred and George had Draco between them, Bill had Theo and Charlie had Blaise and was trying to calm them down. Remus and Sirius looked like they were going to be sick.

Harry was shaking like mad and crying from the pain he was in. Adam was holding on for dear life not wanting to let go of him Kris laid down so Harry was between them and was holding them both. It took them about an hour to calm down.

“Kris, can you move now?” Harry asked in a small voice. All Kris did has sit up and move so both his and Adams heads was in his lap. He started running his finger through both of their hair.

“I am not moving till this book is over so you better get used to this.” Kris said with a voice that said he was not moving no matter what.

“Fine” Was all that was said in return. Adam and Kris smiled at this.

 

**It was pain beyond anything Harry had ever experienced; his very bones were on fire; his head was surely splitting along his scar; his eyes were rolling madly in his head; he wanted it to end...to black out...to die...**

 

“You will never think that again do you hear me.” Remus said as he moved over to the bed and moved Harrys head so he could look him in the eyes.

“Ok, Moony.” Harry whispered. Remus smiled and kissed his forehead and moved back to his seat.

“He is right Harry. Please don’t think like that again. I don’t know what would happen if you died.” Adam said as he moved back a little so he could see Harrys emerald eyes. Harry nodded and moved so he could see the hall his back to Adams chest.

 

**And then it was gone. He was hanging limply in the ropes binding him to the headstone of Voldemort's father, looking up into those bright red eyes through a kind of mist. The night was ringing with the sound of the Death Eaters' laughter.**

**"You see, I think, how foolish it was to suppose that this boy could ever have been stronger than me," said Voldemort. "But I want there to be no mistake in anybody's mind. Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing him, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no Dumbledore to help him, and no mother to die for him. I will give him his chance. He will be allowed to fight, and you will be left in no doubt which of us is the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini," he whispered, and the snake glided away through the grass to where the Death Eaters stood watching.**

**"Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand."**

 

“That is the end of the chapter.” Snape said as he marked the page and put the book down. The teachers looked at the book to see who would be reading next. After a couple minutes Madam Hooch grabbed the book and opened to the right page.

**“Chapter 34 Prior Incntatem…”**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wormtail approached Harry, who scrambled to find his feet, to support his own weight before the ropes were untied. Wormtail raised his new silver hand, pulled out the wad of material gagging Harry, and then, with one swipe, cut through the bonds tying Harry to the gravestone.**

“Try running for it.” Remus said to his cub. All Harry did was shake his head and point to the book.

**There was a split second, perhaps, when Harry might have considered running for it, but his injured leg shook under him as he stood on the overgrown grave, as the Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around him and Voldemort, so that the gaps where the missing Death Eaters should have stood were filled. Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Cedric's body lay and returned with Harry's wand, which he thrust roughly into Harry's hand without looking at him. Then Wormtail resumed his place in the circle of watching Death Eaters.**

**"You have been taught how to duel. Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness.**

“Why yes he has.” Fred said.  
“And he is a master at it.” George said.  
“I was in a lot of pain guys. All I remember was second year.” Harry said from his spot on the bed.

**At these words Harry remembered, as though from a former life, the dueling club at Hogwarts he had attended briefly two years ago....All he had learned there was the Disarming Spell, "Expelliarmus"...and what use would it be to deprive Voldemort of his wand, even if he could, when he was surrounded by Death Eaters, outnumbered by at least thirty to one? He had never learned anything that could possibly fit him for this. He knew he was facing the thing against which Moody had always warned...the unblockable Avada Kedavra curse - and Voldemort was right - his mother was not here to die for him this time....He was quite unprotected....**

“You will never be unprotected.” Dumbledore said looking Harry.  
“He is right you know.” Kris said looking down at Harry. When he turned to look at him Kris smiled.  
“As long as you have you magic you will always be protected.” Adam said pulling Harry closer to his chest.

**"We bow to each other. Harry," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry. "Come, the niceties must be observed....Dumbledore would like you to show manners....Bow to death, Harry...."**

“Never” was all Harry said.

**The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemort's lipless mouth was smiling. Harry did not bow. He was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing him...he was not going to give him that satisfaction....**

“Go Harry.” Was shouted throughout the great hall. Harry gave small laugh and smiled, as he turned to the students.

**"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand - and Harry felt his spine curve as though a huge, invisible hand were bending him ruthlessly forward, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever.**

“Those are some sick minded people.” Kris said looking a little green.  
“What do you expected they follow a madmen.” The twins said.

**"Very good," said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand the pressure bearing down upon Harry lifted too. "And now you face me, like a man...straight-backed and proud, the way your father died....**

**"And now - we duel."**

**Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was....White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain, he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life -**

“Madam Pophrey said I screamed my throat raw. She had to give me a potion the next day, I could barely talk.” Harry told everyone. They looked at the school medi-witch who was nodding his head. Some of the younger years started crying agin.

**And then it stopped. Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet; he was shaking as uncontrollably as Wormtail had done when his hand had been cut off; he staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they pushed him away, back toward Voldemort.**

**"A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, "a little pause...That hurt, didn't it. Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"**

“You don’t care what he would say, you would still do it.” McGonagall spoke up.

**Harry didn't answer. He was going to die like Cedric, those pitiless red eyes were telling him so...he was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it...but he wasn't going to play along. He wasn't going to obey Voldemort...he wasn't going to beg....**

“That is the spirit, fight for what you belive in.” Madam Bones said. The teachers and people that fought during the first war nodded their heads.

**"I asked you whether you want me to do that again," said Voldemort softly. "Answer me! Imperio!"**

“Damn, now he has control.” Snape said.  
“Sir I could fight the imposters Imperio Curse.” Harry said with a tired voice. The teachers looked at him in shock.  
“What do you mean by that Mr. Potter, when where you put under that spell?” Madam Bones asked.  
“During the beginning of the year in DADA. The Imposter put it on everyone in my class I was the only one who could fight it. It was put on two or three times.” He said with his eyes closed. Madam Pomfrey saw and walked over to the bed and check on Harry. She smiled and walked back to the head table.  
“He is just tired. I’m guessing since Mr. Lambert and Mr. Allen are here he feels safe to sleep.” She told the hall when they looked at her.  
“He should be he had not been sleeping very well since the task. A couple times we have found him in the common room look in the fire. We just curled around him and he would sleep a little before waking again.” Fred said from the couch.  
“Yeah, the only reason he does that is that he can trust us. He’s are little brother we hate when he is like that.” Gorge said. Adam just pulled Harry close and listen to the rest of the chapter and Harry’s breathing.

**And Harry felt, for the third time in his life, the sensation that his mind had been wiped of all thought....Ah, it was bliss, not to think, it was as though he were floating, dreaming...just answer no...say no...just answer no....**

**I will not, said a stronger voice, in the back of his head, I won't answer....**

**Just answer no....**

**I won't do it, I won't say it....**

**Just answer no....**

**"I WON'T!"**

“I am proud of you Harry. No one has ever been able to resist him when he cast that curse.” Dumbledore told the tired teen. When no answer came Adam looked down and chuckled.

“He is asleep. So let’s keep the noise level down please.” Adam said as the hall nodded their heads.

**And these words burst from Harry's mouth; they echoed through the graveyard, and the dream state was lifted as suddenly as though cold water had been thrown over him - back rushed the aches that the Cruciatus Curse had left all over his body - back rushed the realization of where he was, and what he was facing....**

**"You won't?" said Voldemort quietly, and the Death Eaters were not laughing now. "You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die....Perhaps another little dose of pain?"**

“He does not need to be taught how to be anything.” Kris said thru clenched teeth.

**Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry was ready; with the reflexes born of his Quidditch training, he flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Voldemort's father, and he heard it crack as the curse missed him.**

The twins started laughing at and no one could belive them.  
“Why are you two laughing?” Bill asked looking at them.  
“Just think how Woods would be right now.” Fred started to say.  
“When he hears that his training keeps Harry safe.” George cut in.  
“In a duel against Voldemort.” They finished together then started laughing again this time Angelina, Alicia and Katie joined in. the rest of the school just looked on in shock.  
“You are right.” The Gryffindor Chasers said together. It took a couple minutes for them to calm down.

**"We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry," said Voldemort's soft, cold voice, drawing nearer, as the Death Eaters laughed. "You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry...come out and play, then...it will be quick...it might even be painless...I would not know...I have never died...."**

**Harry crouched behind the headstone and knew the end had come. There was no hope...no help to be had. And as he heard Voldemort draw nearer still, he knew one thing only, and it was beyond fear or reason: He was not going to die crouching here like a child playing hide-and-seek; he was not going to die kneeling at Voldemort's feet...he was going to die upright like his father, and he was going to die trying to defend himself, even if no defense was possible....**

The whole hall looked at the sleeping teen on the bed. Adam looked like he was about to start crying and Kris was no better. Theo and Blaise buried their heads in to Bill and Charlie chest. Draco had his head buried in Fred’s chest with George hugging him from behind. Remus had Sirius head on his lap. Sirius could not wait for when he could turn back to himself.

**Before Voldemort could stick his snakelike face around the headstone. Harry stood up...he gripped his wand tightly in his hand, thrust it out in front of him, and threw himself around the headstone, facing Voldemort.**

**Voldemort was ready. As Harry shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort cried, "Avada Kedavra!"**

**A jet of green light issued from Voldemort's wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's - they met in midair - and suddenly Harry's wand was vibrating as though an electric charge were surging through it; his hand seized up around it; he couldn't have released it if he'd wanted to - and a narrow beam of light connected the two wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold. Harry, following the beam with his astonished gaze, saw that Voldemort's long white fingers too were gripping a wand that was shaking and vibrating.**

“What just happened?” Adam asked the hall, all of them looked confused except Dumbledore and Sirius.  
“We have brother wands. Are cores are from the same Phoenix.” Harry said his voice full of sleep. The students looked at him in surprise.  
“That means they can’t work right against each other.” Luna said in her dreamy voice.  
“Right you are Miss. Lovegood.” Dumbledore said.

**And then - nothing could have prepared Harry for this - he felt his feet lift from the ground. He and Voldemort were both being raised into the air, their wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They glided away from the tombstone of Voldemort's father and then came to rest on a patch of ground that was clear and free of graves....The Death Eaters were shouting; they were asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing in, reforming the circle around Harry and Voldemort, the snake slithering at their heels, some of them drawing their wands -**

**The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered; though the wands remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Harry and Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light, beyond which the Death Eaters circled like jackals, their cries strangely muffled now....**

**"Do nothing!" Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, and Harry saw his red eyes wide with astonishment at what was happening, saw him fighting to break the thread of light still connecting his wand with Harry's; Harry held onto his wand more tightly, with both hands, and the golden thread remained unbroken. "Do nothing unless I command you!" Voldemort shouted to the Death Eaters.**

**And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air....It was coming from every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort. It was a sound Harry recognized, though he had heard it only once before in his life: phoenix song.**

“You know if I wasn’t fighting for my life that would have been an amazing sight.” Harry told Adam who gave a weak chuckle and nodded his head.  
“I’m sure it would Harry.” Adam told him back and they both turn back to the book.

**It was the sound of hope to Harry...the most beautiful and welcome thing he had ever heard in his life....He felt as though the song were inside him instead of just around him....It was the sound he connected with Dumbledore, and it was almost as though a friend were speaking in his ear....**

**Don't break the connection.**

Fawkes popped into the Great Hall and started flying around singing, everyone started to feel hope justlike Harry did in the book.

**I know. Harry told the music, I know I mustn't...but no sooner had he thought it, than the thing became much harder to do. His wand began to vibrate more powerfully than ever...and now the beam between him and Voldemort changed too...it was as though large beads of light were sliding up and down the thread connecting the wands - Harry felt his wand give a shudder under his hand as the light beads began to slide slowly and steadily his way....The direction of the beams movement was now toward him, from Voldemort, and he felt his wand shudder angrily....**

“It was worse than my first year when Quill was trying to knock me off my broom.” Harry told the hall those in fourth year and up shuddered.  
“That was something I do not want to see again.” The Twins said together. Draco, Theo and Blase nodded with them.  
“What are you guys talking about?” Kris asked.  
“In my first year Professor Quill had Voldemort on the back of his head. In my First Quidditch game he made my broom lose control and I almost fell from it. If not for Proffecer Snape doing the counter cure I would have fell off.” Harry told them and they looked like they were going to get sick. Snape getting thankful looks from everwhere.  
“Forget I asked.” Kris said weakly, while thanks Snape with a nod of his head.

**As the closest bead of light moved nearer to Harry's wand tip, the wood beneath his fingers grew so hot he feared it would burst into flame. The closer that bead moved, the harder Harry's wand vibrated; he was sure his wand would not survive contact with it; it felt as though it was about to shatter under his fingers -**

**He concentrated every last particle of his mind upon forcing the bead back toward Voldemort, his ears full of phoenix song, his eyes furious, fixed...and slowly, very slowly, the beads quivered to a halt, and then, just as slowly, they began to move the other way...and it was Voldemort's wand that was vibrating extra-hard now...Voldemort who looked astonished, and almost fearful....**

**One of the beads of light was quivering, inches from the tip of Voldemort's wand. Harry didn't understand why he was doing it, didn't know what it might achieve...but he now concentrated as he had never done in his life on forcing that bead of light right back into Voldemort's wand...and slowly...very slowly...it moved along the golden thread...it trembled for a moment...and then it connected....**

**At once, Voldemort's wand began to emit echoing screams of pain...then - Voldemort's red eyes widened with shock - a dense, smoky hand flew out of the tip of it and vanished...the ghost of the hand he had made Wormtail...more shouts of pain...and then something much larger began to blossom from Voldemort's wand tip, a great, grayish something, that looked as though it were made of the solidest, densest smoke....It was a head...now a chest and arms...the torso of Cedric Diggory.**

“The ghost of the spells he used and the ghost of the people he killed.” Neal told the hall, they all looked sick and the younger years started crying once again. The teacher hope that they would not have nightmares from the reading.

**If ever Harry might have released his wand from shock, it would have been then, but instinct kept him clutching his wand tightly, so that the thread of golden light remained unbroken, even though the thick gray ghost of Cedric Diggory (was it a ghost? it looked so solid) emerged in its entirety from the end of Voldemort's wand, as though it were squeezing itself out of a very narrow tunnel...and this shade of Cedric stood up, and looked up and down the golden thread of light, and spoke.**

**"Hold on. Harry," it said.**

“I felt like I was going to cry when this whole thing was going on. I saw more than Cedric that night.” The hall was quite when they heard this. Some who figured out what was going on looked at Harry with pain in their eyes.

**Its voice was distant and echoing. Harry looked at Voldemort...his wide red eyes were still shocked...he had no more expected this than Harry had...and, very dimly. Harry heard the frightened yells of the Death Eaters, prowling around the edges of the golden dome.**

**More screams of pain from the wand...and then something else emerged from its tip...the dense shadow of a second head, quickly followed by arms and torso...an old man Harry had seen only in a dream was now pushing himself out of the end of the wand just as Cedric had done...and his ghost, or his shadow, or whatever it was, fell next to Cedric's, and surveyed Harry and Voldemort, and the golden web, and the connected wands, with mild surprise, leaning on his walking stick....**

**"He was a real wizard, then?" the old man said, his eyes on Voldemort. "Killed me, that one did....You fight him, boy...."**

“You know if he had been a wizard he would have been a Gryffindor. For what he said and did the night he died.” Harry informed the hall.  
“What do you mean Mr. Potter?” Madam Bones asked the teen.  
“Before school started I had a dream or more like I saw what was happening and I saw him get killed. He stood up to Voldemort.” Harry said and the Lions all bowed their heads. If Harry said that he would have been a Lion then he was one of them.

**But already, yet another head was emerging...and this head, gray as a smoky statue, was a woman's....Harry, both arms shaking now as he fought to keep his wand still, saw her drop to the ground and straighten up like the others, staring....**

**The shadow of Bertha Jorkins surveyed the battle before her with wide eyes.**

**"Don't let go, now!" she cried, and her voice echoed like Cedric's as though from very far away. "Don't let him get you, Harry - don't let go!"**

“That is the Bertha I know, not the one that is always forgetful.” Madam Bones said to the silent hall.

**She and the other two shadowy figures began to pace around the inner walls of the golden web, while the Death Eaters flitted around the outside of it...and Voldemort's dead victims whispered as they circled the duelers, whispered words of encouragement to Harry, and hissed words Harry couldn't hear to Voldemort.**

**And now another head was emerging from the tip of Voldemort's wand...and Harry knew when he saw it who it would be...he knew, as though he had expected it from the moment when Cedric had appeared from the wand...knew, because the man appearing was the one he'd thought of more than any other tonight....**

**The smoky shadow of a tall man with untidy hair fell to the ground as Bertha had done, straightened up, and looked at him...and Harry, his arms shaking madly now, looked back into the ghostly face of his father.**

Harry started crying against Adams chest. The first time he remembers is father is the night that he has to duel the man who kill’s him. Adam and Kris huddle around Harry and cry for him, and nobody in the hall has a dry eye.

**"Your mother's coming..." he said quietly. “She wants to see you...it will be all right...hold on...."**

**And she came...first her head, then her body...a young woman with long hair, the smoky, shadowy form of Lily Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's wand, fell to the ground, and straightened like her husband. She walked close to Harry, looking down at him, and she spoke in the same distant, echoing voice as the others, but quietly, so that Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his victims prowled around him, could not hear....**

**"When the connection is broken, we will linger for only moments...but we will give you time...you must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts...do you understand, Harry?"**

**"Yes," Harry gasped, fighting now to keep a hold on his wand, which was slipping and sliding beneath his fingers.**

**"Harry..." whispered the figure of Cedric, "take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents,..."**

**"I will," said Harry, his face screwed up with the effort of holding the wand.**

**"Do it now," whispered his father's voice, "be ready to run...do it now...."**

“For a second I did not want to break it I had finally seen and talked to my parents. Then I lost them all over again.” Harry’s voice was soft from the crying he had been doing in during the reading.  
“I would most likely do the same thing if I could talk to my mother again Potter, my father killed her because she let me talk with a muggleborn Witch in Diagon Ally once.” Theo said from Bill’s lap.  
“Same with my baby sister. My parents killed her when she was five when they found out she was a squib. I was only eight at the time and they made me watch.” Blaise said with his head tuck under Charlie’s chin.  
“My Father killed my Twin for making him look like a fool in front of one of his friends. That is why I act so cold a lot, I miss my other half.” Draco told the hall and both the Weasley and Patil twins sucked in a shocked breath then gave a small cry as they tried to imagine living without their other half. Fred and George pulled Draco into a hug that was joined by the Patil Twins.  
“I will like to talk to you three after this book so we can make sure they get what is coming to them.” Madam Bones told the upset teens.

**"NOW!" Harry yelled; he didn't think he could have held on for another moment anyway - he pulled his wand upward with an almighty wrench, and the golden thread broke; the cage of light vanished, the phoenix song died - but the shadowy figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear - they were closing in upon Voldemort, shielding Harry from his gaze -**

**And Harry ran as he had never run in his life, knocking two stunned Death Eaters aside as he passed; he zigzagged behind headstones, feeling their curses following him, hearing them hit the headstones - he was dodging curses and graves, pelting toward Cedric's body, no longer aware of the pain in his leg, his whole being concentrated on what he had to do -**

**"Stun him!" he heard Voldemort scream.**

**Ten feet from Cedric, Harry dived behind a marble angel to avoid the jets of red light and saw the tip of its wing shatter as the spells hit it. Gripping his wand more tightly, he dashed out from behind the angel -**

**"Impedimenta!" he bellowed, pointing his wand wildly over his shoulder at the Death Eaters running at him.**

**From a muffled yell, he thought he had stopped at least one of them, but there was no time to stop and look; he jumped over the cup and dived as he heard more wand blasts behind him; more jets of light flew over his head as he fell, stretching out his hand to grab Cedric's arm...**

“Yes your almost there.” Was shouted in the hall by everyone.

**"Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine!" shrieked Voldemort. Harry's hand had closed on Cedric's wrist; one tombstone stood between him and Voldemort, but Cedric was too heavy to carry, and the cup was out of reach -**

**Voldemort's red eyes flamed in the darkness. Harry saw his mouth curl into a smile, saw him raise his wand.**

**"Accio!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air and soared toward him. Harry caught it by the handle -**

“YES”

**He heard Voldemort's scream of fury at the same moment that he felt the jerk behind his navel that meant the Portkey had worked - it was speeding him away in a whirl of wind and color, and Cedric along with him....They were going back.**

“That is the end of the chapter.” Madam Hooch put the book down and looked around the hall.  
“I will read next.” Sprout said grabbing the book.  
“Chapter 35 **Veritaserum**...”


End file.
